RM8.2b cash aid largest in nation’s history, says Tengku Zafrul

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KUALA LUMPUR: The assistance channelled under the Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM) is the largest direct cash assistance in the country’s history compared with Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) and Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH), finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said.

Tengku Zafrul said the BKM Phase 2, as announced by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob recently, has been improved with additional cash assistance totalling RM630 million, bringing the allocation under the scheme to RM8.2 billion.

He said the maximum BKM rate was RM2,600 compared with RM1,200 for BR1M and RM1,480 under BSH.

“That is an increase of 120% since the direct cash assistance initiative was first introduced,” he said in a statement.

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How is the govt going to fund subsidies, asks Shafie

PETALING JAYA: Warisan president Shafie Apdal has questioned how Putrajaya will fund its subsidies for consumer necessities, which are projected to reach an all-time high of RM77.3 billion this year.

Shafie said this was higher than the country’s entire national development expenditure of RM76.6 billion.

“Where do we get the money for this?” asked the former Sabah chief minister in a statement.

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