BR1M to be increased for 4.7 mil households, 2.7 mil single individuals

In 2016, the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) assistance for households with monthly income of RM3,000 and below, will be increased from RM950 to RM1,000.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, when tabling Budget 2016 at the Dewan Rakyat here today, said the BR1M assistance for households with monthly income between RM3,001 and RM4,000, would be raised from RM750 to RM800.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said for single individuals aged 21 and above with monthly income not exceeding RM2,000, the assistance would be increased from RM350 to RM400.

He said a new category would also be introduced for all participants in the e-Kasih database, with monthly income below RM1,000, who would now receive BR1M of RM1,050, while the Bereavement Scheme of RM1,000 would be continued.

"In aggregate, BR1M assistance is expected to benefit 4.7 million households and 2.7 million single individuals with an allocation of RM5.9 billion," he said.

Najib said the BR1M would be continued to fulfill the pledge of reducing the cost of living of the people.

"I know that there are parties who feel that BR1M should not be continued. However, from feedback that I have received, BR1M recipients appreciate the government's concern for it has somewhat helped them to reduce the cost of living," he said.

BR1M was first introduced in 2012, providing cash aid of RM500 to households with income of RM3,000 and below.

In 2013, BR1M 2.0 was expanded to single individuals aged 21 and above with income of not more than RM2,000 a month. They received RM250 each.

In 2014, BR1M 3.0, the assistance was raised from RM500 to RM650 for each household with collective monthly income of RM3,000 and below, while single individuals aged 21 and above with monthly income of not more than RM2,000 a month, had their assistance raised from RM250 to RM300.

The BR1M 3.0 was also extended to households with monthly income of between RM3,000 and RM4,000, with aid amounting to RM450.

In the 2015 budget, the government raised the BR1M 4.0 assistance from RM650 to RM950 for each household with monthly income of RM3,000 and below and that it was disbursed in three installments with RM300 each paid in January, May and September.

For households with monthly income of between RM3,000 and RM4,000, the government had also raised the BR1M from RM450 to RM750, while single individuals aged 21 and above with income not more than RM2,000 a month, the assistance for them was raised from RM300 to RM350.