The Malaysian Insight

PRIME Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today unveiled the RM150 billion Pemulih economic aid package, which will include cash assistance, a new Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) withdrawal scheme and loan moratorium. 

“I can promise today, that despite the tight fiscal space, the Perikatan Nasional government will continue to be committed to prioritising your wellbeing,” he said in a special televised address today. 

Putrajaya has allocated RM380 billion through seven economic aid packages since the onset of the pandemic – the latest being the RM40 billion Pemerkasa Plus announced last month. 

A blanket automatic loan moratorium announced in March last year expired in September last year and it was then replaced with a targeted assistance programme.

Muhyiddin said continuing its focus on the people’s welfare agenda, the government will provide direct cash assistance amounting to RM10 billion until the end of this year. This includes the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) scheme.

Under the Pemerkasa Plus aid package announced recently, the government will provide an additional BPR payment of up to RM500 and the payment will be made in stages starting tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the third phase of BPR with aid of RM100 to RM1,400 will be paid in September.

September will also see payments of approved BPR appeal cases.

In total, the BPR value until the end of the year is RM4.9 billion. 

To ensure that the people receive assistance in the coming months until the end of the year, Muhyiddin also announced the Special Covid-19 Assistance (BKC) with the following rates and categories:

1) Hardcore poor households will receive assistance of RM500 in August, RM500 in November and RM300 in December;

2) Single individuals in the hardcore poor category will receive assistance of RM200 in August and RM300 in November;

3) B40 households will receive assistance of RM500 in August and RM300 in December while single B40 individuals will receive RM200 in August; and

4) M40 households will get assistance of RM250 while M40 singles will receive RM100 in August.

“This BKC package is expected to benefit more than 11 million households, senior citizens and singles with an allocation of RM4.6 billion,” said Muhyiddin. – June 28, 2021.