The 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) was pledged in the Barisan Nasional's (BN) election manifesto for the 13th General Election with the BR1M payments to be made from 2014 till 2018, said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan.

As such, he said, it cannot be withdrawn but must be continued.

"...and we not only promised to continue the BR1M payments for five years but to increase the quantum yearly to RM1,200 in the fifth year. For 2015 the amount is RM950," he told reporters after holding a briefing session on the Goods and Service Tax (GST) for TM employees, Sunday.

Ahmad, who is also Umno information chief, said when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was Prime Minister, his method of stimulating the economy was providing more projects for Class F contractors then.

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's way of spurring the economy was to provide aid to the people directly in the form of BR1M to have a multiplier effect.

"So, BR1M is not corruption as alleged by certain quarters. If it was corruption, we would have only given it once before the election...this we are giving yearly," he said.