KUALA LUMPUR: The government has allocated RM13 billion for 2012 to 2015, for the distribution of the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) which had benefited almost 7.4 million people, with over RM5 billion allocated for this year alone.

“In 2015, those with household income of RM3,000 and below [are]to receive the BR1M totalled 4.1 million people, with total BR1M amounting to RM3.9 billion,” said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan.

“For household income of between RM3,001 and RM4,000, the total number of recipients is 400,010 people, and total BR1M is RM300 million. For unmarried youths with income of RM2,000 and below, there are 2.7 million recipients, with aid totalling RM947 million,” he added.

Ahmad Maslan said this year, 6.4 million recipients received the aid through their bank accounts, while 820,000 received the aid though vouchers.

He was responding to a question from Barisan Nasional Sibuti member of parliament Ahmad Lai Bujang, on the number of BR1M recipients who still have no savings accounts to receive the aid.

To avoid leakage and ensure only those eligible receive the BR1M, Ahmad Maslan said a verification process would be conducted every year by checking the data obtained from various government agencies, including the National Registration Department, Inland Revenue Board, Public Service Department and Employees Provident Fund. — Bernama

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on June 9, 2015.