Budget 2021: BSH to be replaced with BPR, RM6.5 bln to benfit 8.1 mln people

KUALA LUMPUR: The Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) will be replaced with Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) involving an allocation of RM6.5 billion in aid, which is expected to benefit 8.1 million people under Budget 2021.

Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said under BPR, households with a monthly income of less than RM2,500 without any children or having a child would receive RM1,200, while those with two children or more would get RM1,800.

”Households with a monthly income of RM2,501 to RM4,000 and without any children or with a child will receive RM800, while those with two or more children will get RM1,200.

“Households with a monthly income of between RM4,001 and RM5,000 and with a child or none will receive RM500 and it's RM750 for households with two children or more.

“Besides that, singles earning a monthly income of RM2,500 and below with receive RM350, with the qualifying age for the aid reduced to 21 years from 40 previously,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Tengku Zafrul said the BPR would be more target-driven than BSH with RM5 billion allocated to benefit 4.3 million recipients.

In addition to the BPR, the government would allocate RM1.5 billion to implement the PRIHATIN Jaringan (Network) Programme aimed at enabling the B40 low-income group to acquire Internet facility.

“Beginning with the first quarter of 2021, about eight million recipients from the B40 group will receive RM180 in the form of telecommunications credit,” he said.

Tengku Zafrul said this aid would be used for Internet subscription or to pay for part of the cost of a new mobile phone.

He said at the same time, telecommunications companies would provide benefits worth RM1.5 billion in the form of free data.

-- BERNAMA