PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced an increase in the Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM) cash aid, in view of the removal of certain subsidies and ceiling prices as well as the rising cost of goods.
Ismail said eligible B40 recipients will receive an additional RM100 per household, adding that the cash aid will benefit an estimated 8.6 million people and four million households.
With the additional RM100, eligible households will receive up to RM500 each in phase 2 of the BKM, up from RM400 previously. The government has allocated an additional RM630 million for this, Ismail said.
He said an additional RM50 would also be provided for single people, with payments beginning June 27. Payment status can be checked from the same date at bkm.hasil.gov.my.
Ismail said the cash aid for this year, which could potentially amount to RM2,500 for eligible recipients, was the largest assistance provided by the government to date.
“The government is aware of the needs of the people in light of the current rise in the prices of basic necessities, and will continue to be committed to ensure the well-being of the public and those most in need,” he said.
BKM is a direct cash aid initiative announced in Budget 2022 to benefit the B40 group.
Meanwhile, Ismail said the government will discontinue the subsidy for bottled pure cooking oil as the initiative did not meet its objective of helping those who had been affected by the pandemic.
“We found that the subsidy had been abused by the commercial sector and smugglers.”
However, Ismail said the subsidy for cooking oil sold in 1kg polybags would continue.
Yesterday, domestic trade and consumer affairs minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said the government would cease subsidising bottled cooking oil (2kg, 3kg and 5kg) starting July 1, but cooking oil sold in 1kg polybags would continue to be subsidised.
The minister also announced that the ceiling prices for chicken and eggs would be removed from July 1, adding that the price of chicken was expected to be between RM10 and RM12 per kg.
Currently, chicken is priced at RM8.90 per kg. The ceiling prices for chicken and chicken eggs were implemented on Feb 5.
