Aid packages to help people cope with rising costs

"When we see prices of three things going up, we must not forget all the help we have received, so I hope the people and especially the opposition to be fair," he told reporters after visiting the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) counter at the Inland Revenue Board office here, Tuesday.

The 10 aid packages include BR1M, six types of basic subsidies, assistance to farmers, fishermen, oil palm workers and rubber tappers, reduction of income tax cuts, health subsidies, educational assistance, affordable housing projects, assistance to the poor, funds for the development of entrepreneurs as well as salary increases and bonuses for civil servants.

He did not deny that rationalisation of the budget made by the government in reducing the national deficit recently had caused prices of three types of items to rise namely oil, sugar and electricity.

But he said this aid packages had been created to help people to achieve a high level of income so as not to be burdened with rising costs in the future.

"So what is being done is in the name of social safety net and the government is trying to increase the people's income in order to absorb the rising costs here and there.

"I do not deny that there is an increase in three types of items, but I was told by Tenaga Nasional Bhd that 70 percent of users will not be affected by the increase in tariffs," Ahmad said.

He explained the RM400 million savings made by the government through the sugar subsidy rationalisation had been used to improve the healthcare of people through additional nurses, new 1Malaysia clinics and rural clinics and a new hospital.