KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Bernama) — Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Wednesday announced additional cash assistance under the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional 2.0 (BPN2.0) with an allocation of almost US$1.68 billion (RM7 billion, US$1 = RM4.15).
He said no applications were required to be made for the BPN 2.0 aid as the government would directly channel it to the 10.6 million recipients approved under the BPN previously.
For those who qualified but had never received the BPN, Muhyiddin said the government would give them the opportunity to appeal and submit a new application.
The additional cash assistance was announced by the prime minister when announcing the PRIHATIN Supplementary Initiative Package or in short, KITA PERIHATIN (WE CARE), which was broadcast live on Wednesday.
“The amount to be channelled under BPN2.0 is RM1,000 each to 3.7 million B40 households, RM500 to 3.8 million single people in B40, RM600 to nearly 1.4 million M40 households and RM300 to 1.7 million singles in the M40 group.
“The BPN 2.0 payment will be made in two instalments, the first at the end of October 2020 and the second in January 2021. For the B40 group, the first instalment payment of RM700 will be made this October and the second payment of RM300 in January 2021,” he said.
With the announcement, Muhyiddin hoped that the groups involved could feel some relief in meeting their household daily expenses.
The government had on last March 27, announced the BPN of RM9.24 billion under the PRIHATIN Economic Stimulus Package (PRIHATIN) to ensure that no group would be neglected.
Previously, the BPN payment was RM1,600 for those with a monthly household income of RM4,000 and below, RM1,000 for household income of RM4,001 to RM8,000, RM800 for singles earning RM2,000 and below and RM500 for singles earning RM2,001 to RM4,000 per month.
— BERNAMA
