BR1M 3.0 to be distributed within 20 days

BR1M 3.0 will be distributed within 20 days after it is launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on February 22.

Finance Minister II, Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah (pic) said that the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) 3.0 money will be banked into the recipient’s private accounts simultaneously nationwide following the launching.

This is to ensure that the recipients do not need to wait for a long time before they can enjoy the cash handouts, unlike what happened the last time.

For those without bank accounts, vouchers will be given to them in stages beginning February 23 onwards.

“We want it to be distributed within a span of not more than 20 days. There are also people saying that we must go through handing over ceremonies, but we say no because the people need the cash now,” said Ahmad Husni.

“That’s why we want to bank it all in within that one day,” he said at a special press conference on BR1M on Saturday.

Najib is expected to launch the third instalment of BR1M at Sekolah Menengah Aminuddin Baki Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur.

From the seven million expected recipients of BR1M 3.0, four million have bank accounts and more than two million do not.

A total of RM4.2 bilion has been allocated for the scheme, which is expected to benefit 4.62 million households and 2.4 million single people.

For those with household earnings of RM3,000 and below, the cash aid has been increased from RM500 to RM600.

The aid category also has been widened to include those earning between RM3,001 to RM4,000, who will receive RM450.

Senior citizens, aged 60 and above and are living alone, would receive RM650, compared to the previous RM500.

Meanwhile, for the category of single people aged 21 and above with an earning capacity of RM2,000 and below, the cash aid will be increased from RM250 to RM300.

Under BR1M 3.0, the government also introduced Insurans Takaful Berkelompok Rakyat 1Malaysia (i-BR1M) with a maximum protection of RM30,000 to cover for deaths from accidents or permanent disability as a result of accident. The period of protection covers January 1 till December 31, 2014.