BR1M payment begins Jan 15

PUTRAJAYA: Payment of the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) for 2015 will begin on Thursday (Jan 15), Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan said today.
At the same time, he dismissed reports over the social media and smartphone applications that the payment began last Sunday.
The social media reports had stated that the eligible people could withdraw their BR1M payment beginning Jan 11 at CIMB Bank and Bank Rakyat; Jan 12 at Bank Muamalat and Bank Islam and Jan 13 and 14 at other banks.
"This is mean. There are those who make people angry because they have to go to the banks to queue up to withdraw the BR1M payment," he told a news conference here.
"It is only tomorrow that we will complete sending the money to all the 18 selected banks, and on Thursday (Jan 15) those eligible can withdraw the payment," he said.
Ahmad said that for those without a bank account, the distribution of the BR1M vouchers would begin on Jan 17 and this was expected to be completed by March 31.
Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah had said that the government had decided to bring forward the payment of BR1M from the end of January to Jan 15 and that the payments would be made first to recipients in the flood-hit states.
Ahmad Maslan said 7.1 million people were eligible to receive the BR1M payment, involving a total sum of RM5.3 billion this year, compared to seven million recipients involving a total sum of RM3.64 billion last year.
This year, 4.4 million recipients from households with a monthly income of RM3,000 or less would receive RM950 paid out thrice, with RM300 each to be paid from January and May and the remaining RM350 from September, he said.
Some 400,000 recipients from households with a monthly income of between RM3,000 and RM4,000 were eligible to receive RM750, with RM200 each to be paid from January and May and the remaining RM350 from September, he said.
The one-time payment of RM350 for 2.3 million recipients who are unmarried individuals aged 21 and above with a monthly income of RM2,000 and less would be made beginning this month, he said.
"We will make the BR1M payments in two stages. The 4.9 million recipients who have updated their personal particulars by Dec 31 (last year) will receive their BR1M payment on Thursday.
"Those who have yet to update their personal particulars or those making a fresh application will be paid on Feb 12," he said.
He also said that the process of registration and updating which should have ended on Dec 31 had been extended to Jan 31 due to the floods.
Ahmad said that last year, 87,228 people eligible for BR1M did not claim the payment, amounting to a total of RM40 million.
"This involved all categories of recipients and we do not know the reason for that. The claim is assumed to have been forfeited and the money will be channelled to the Consolidated Fund," he said, adding that they could put in a claim for this year's BR1M.
Ahmad said the BR1M, which was a pledge made by the Barisan Nasional during the 13th General Election, would continue to be paid over the five years from 2013.
"BR1M not only helps with the cost of living of the recipients but also expands the local economy and has a multiplier effect on the (national) economy," he said. – Bernama