PM announces additional assistance under Keluarga Malaysia package
The B40 income group will receive additional cash assistance under the Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM) aid to help alleviate their financial burden.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, in a special announcement, said each household receiving the BKM aid would receive RM100 while single individuals would get RM50.
The move will benefit over 8.6 million people, comprising four million households, 1.2 million senior citizens, and 3.4 million single individuals, he said.
He added that the payment would be made in four stages starting June 27.
The decision to provide the financial assistance was taken after the government took into consideration the rising cost of living including increase in food prices, he said.
Alleviating burdens: Ismail Sabri speaking at the special announcement press conference at the Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya. — BernamaAlleviating burdens: Ismail Sabri speaking at the special announcement press conference at the Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya. — Bernama
“Each BKM recipient will receive up to RM500 according to their respective BKM qualification categories.
“The additional cash assistance paid together with the BKM Phase 2 payment involves an additional allocation of RM630mil,” said Ismail Sabri.
This, he said, would make the total allocation of BKM aid to RM1.74bil.
The assistance of up to RM2,500 for the B40 households announced for Budget 2022 last year was the largest incentive to date by the government, he added.
For more information and to check the application status, the public can visit https://bkm.hasil.gov.my/ from Monday.
Ismail Sabri also said that the temporary price subsidy for bottled cooking oil introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic would be discontinued from July 1.
The subsidy was for the 1kg, 2kg, 3kg and 5kg bottled cooking oil to help the rakyat facing difficulties during the pandemic.
“The government decided not to extend the subsidy for bottled cooking oil as it does not meet the initial goal of the initiative to help those affected by the pandemic.
“We also found that the assistance provided was misused by certain people including the commercial sector, industries and because of smuggling,” he said, adding that the oil subsidy cost the government RM55mil per month, which was initially slated for only three months from Aug 2021.
He, however, clarified that the subsidy for cooking oil in 1kg packets that was first announced in 2007 was still in effect.
“There was talk that the subsidy for cooking oil in packets was removed. It was not and is still subsidised,” he said.
The government has spent RM4bil in subsidies for cooking oil this year, compared to RM500mil in 2020 and RM2.2bil in 2021.
“The government subsidised 60,000 tonnes of cooking oil, which is more than the public requirement of 55,000 tonnes per month,” he added, referring to the 1kg packet cooking oil.
Help at hand: The Prime Minister joins in via video conferencing as
Tengku Zafrul (second from right) witnesses the first day of BKC
payments to recipients at the BSN Putrajaya branch. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA: The government will channel RM500mil of assistance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through the Prihatin Special Grant (GKP) 4.0 beginning Sept 21, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
“With this aid, it is hoped that small businesses such as food stalls, barbers, workshops and cake shops will be able to reduce their burden and help in their cash flow,” he said.
Each payment of RM500 will be given out in September and November.
Ismail Sabri said the aid will be channelled directly into the bank accounts registered with the GKP system and that the status of the GKP 4.0 can be checked at gkp.hasil.gov.my.
The Prime Minister said the grant, which is a component of the Economic Recovery Package (Pemulih), will benefit more than one million recipients.
In a statement yesterday, he said the aid would be transferred directly into bank accounts registered with the GKP system.
The status of the GKP 4.0 can be checked at gkp.hasil.gov.my.
So far, he said RM6.08bil had been channelled to SMEs under the GKP since the pandemic began.
“I hope this aid will be able to revive the SME sector, which is the engine of economic growth for the Malaysian family.”
The government, he said, would give priority to industry players who were among those most affected during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said the status of those who applied and then appealed for the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) can be checked at bpr.hasil.gov.my starting today.
This will involve almost 200,000 BPR recipients with an estimated allocation of RM240mil, said Tengku Zafrul, adding that the payments would be credited at the end of this month into accounts registered with the BPR.
The payments, he said, would be credited into bank accounts registered during the BPR appeals at the end of this month, together with the recipients of the third phase of the BPR.
He said in a statement the payout would also be given to recipients of the third phase of the BPR.
Tengku Zafrul said the government had updated the data of the B40 group eligible to receive the BPR after their appeals were submitted from June 15 to June 30.
The appeals were verified by the Inland Revenue Board to ensure that the aid would benefit those who qualified for it.
“The government hopes that this cash assistance totalling RM17.1bil until the end of the year can assist Malaysian families in managing their expenses,” he said.
More assistance coming after BKC next month, says Ismail Sabri
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. - Bernama filepic
PUTRAJAYA: The Special Covid-19 Aid (BKC) cash vouchers prepared by the Finance Ministry must reach the recipients without any delay, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Having witnessed the Phase One payments of the BKC being credited into the accounts of 10 million recipients from yesterday, the Prime Minister also urged the ministry to ensure the smooth running of the BKC payments, especially for recipients residing in rural areas with limited banking access or those without bank accounts.
Data from the ministry shows there are 708,223 eligible BKC recipients who do not have bank accounts.
Ismail Sabri also said the government would be channelling more assistance to the people starting next month.
In a video conference from his residence in Petaling Jaya with Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) staffers to check on the BKC payment process, Ismail Sabri said BKC was among the assistance given to help ease the burden of the people affected by Covid-19.
“Hopefully, nothing untoward happens that can cause delays and so on,” he said.
Ismail Sabri, who initiated the video conference call because he is still undergoing self-quarantine, also advised BSN staffers to ensure BKC recipients who come to collect the aid complied with standard operating procedure (SOP) to prevent Covid-19 transmission.
Joining the video conference call were Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, who was at BSN Putrajaya here, and Deputy Finance Minister Mohd Shahar Abdullah, who was at the BSN branch in Bera, Pahang.
“Hopefully, what the government is giving today (yesterday) – although not much – can at least help reduce the people’s burden,” said Ismail Sabri, who also referred to information from Tengku Zafrul that more assistance was forthcoming for the people.
On Sept 1, Ismail Sabri announced that the BKC would be paid in stages with Phase One payments being credited from Sept 6 to 10.
Funds amounting to RM3.1bil have already been channelled to the relevant banking institutions for BKC payments.
The BKC is paid out to assist the hardcore poor, B40 households with total monthly income of RM5,000 and below and senior citizens as well as singles with a monthly income of RM2,500 and below, based on the eligibility criteria under the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR 2021) aid package.
Those in the M40 group who report income tax with a total household income of RM5,001 to RM9,000 and RM2,501 to RM5,000 for singles are also eligible to receive BKC.
Under the BKC, hardcore poor category households will receive RM1,300; eligible senior citizens and singles (RM500).
For the B40 category, households will receive RM800, eligible senior citizens and singles (RM200); while in the M40 category, households will receive RM250 and qualified senior citizens and singles (RM100).
Details on the BKC, including payment status, can be viewed at https://bkc.hasil.gov.my.Meanwhile, Tengku Zafrul said the government would distribute various forms of assistance that have been planned until the end of this year.
Among the assistance that will be distributed is Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat phase three amounting to RM2.32bil, which will be channelled at the end of this month, and assistance for the loss of income in October.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Ismail Sabri said he had the opportunity to virtually review the Phase One payment process of BKC which would be implemented in stages through selected financial institutions involving the RM3.1bil allocation.
He also said that he was informed that the Finance Ministry would facilitate distribution to the rural community by paying cash to BKC recipients who did not have bank accounts.
“I hope this assistance can alleviate the burden of the ‘Malaysian Family’ affected by the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said. — Bernama
Teachers on Zoom calls with students ages five to eight who are at home or in daycare might find this a familiar bugbear: the sounds of other children, siblings, parents and barking dogs.
The students have noise-canceling headphones that block the noise for them, but not so much the teachers.
In addition, some students use iPads that have a plug for their headphones but no plug for a noise-cancelling external microphone (headphones that include microphones are expensive).
If this is what you’re facing, block the background racket by using noise-cancelling software instead of noise-canceling microphones.
There are two types of this software: The Zoom video call app, which has controls for cancelling out background noise at the student’s end of the conversation, and third-party programs for your computer that cancel out student background noise before the sound plays through your computer’s speaker.
In order to use the Zoom noise-cancelling feature, your students must connect to the call via the Zoom app on their iPads (as opposed to connecting without the app through the Zoom website).
In addition, an adult must examine the app’s settings to make sure they aren’t set to “original sound”, which means background noise is not filtered out. Toggling off “original sound” automatically turns on background noise cancellation. (For directions, clic here.)
Unfortunately, the noise-cancellation feature in the iPad Zoom app has its limits. Unlike the computer app, the iPad app doesn’t let you adjust to block specific types of sounds. It also doesn’t allow noise cancellation to be increased or decreased.
A better solution may be to download a third-party noise-cancellation program to the PC or Mac that you use for Zoom sessions. The app most suited to your needs is probably Krisp, which can filter out student background noise before you hear it. Krisp is free to use for up to 120 minutes a week; unlimited use costs US$5 (RM20) a month. (See details here and downloads here). – Star Tribune (Minneapolis)/Tribune News Service
PETALING JAYA: Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz is presenting Budget 2021 in the Dewan Rakyat, the first under Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration.
Budget 2021 is widely expected to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest federal budget to date, as it contains many measures to help ordinary Malaysians and to stimulate economic recovery in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Follow the developments below:
Updating...
Special finance aid for civil servants
The government announced a special finance aid worth RM600 for civil servants grade 56 and below. For pensioners and veterans with no pension, a special financial aid of RM300 will be given. Both aids will be paid out early 2021.
Vapourising vaping
Excise duty at an ad valorem rate of 10% on all types of electronic cigarette devices and non-electronic devices, including vaping products.
Electronic cigarette liquids will also be subjected to an excise duty at a rate of RM0.40 per millimetre.
More savings for households
SAVE 2.0 programme will be introduced, where an e-Rebate of RM200 for a household purchasing a locally made air-conditioning unit or refrigerator. RM30mil has been allocated for the programme, and it would benefit 140,000 households.
Duty-free doom for ciggies
Beginning January 2021, no more new cigarette import licences will be issued. Such licence renewals will also be tightened and the conditions revised, including imposing import quotas.
The transhipment of cigarette exports will be limited to selected ports. Taxes will be imposed on drawbacks on all imported cigarettes for the purpose of transhipment and re-export.
The government will also not allow transhipment activities and re-exports of cigarettes using pump boats.
Taxes will also be imposed on cigarettes and tobacco products at all duty-free islands.
↓
Towards cleaner rivers
RM50mil will be allocated to tackle rubbish and solid waste in rivers,
Education Ministry gets biggest allocation
The Education Ministry will receive the biggest allocation with RM50.4bil or 15.6% of the total budget.
Task force beefed to battle smuggling
The Multi-Agency Task Force will be empowered with the inclusion of the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and National Anti-Financial Crime Centre to battle smuggling of high duty items.
When the levy breaks
To help reduce the cashflow burden of still-affected companies, a Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF) levy exemption will be given for six months effective Jan 1, 2021. This exemption will cover the tourism sector and companies affected by Covid-19.
Indigenous inspiration
To ensure the wellbeing of the Orang Asli community, RM158mil has been allocated.
This will be channelled to social assistance and development programmes.
A total of RM5mil has been allocated for surveying work to mark the borders of 21 villages.
Another RM41mil has been allocated for a Native Customary Rights programme in Sabah and Sarawak.
Assistance for contractors
RM2.5bil will be allocated to Class G1 to G4 contractors to carry out small and medium projects nationwide. This will include RM200mil for Federal road maintenance and RM50mil for the maintenance of People's Housing Program housing units.
Special grant for Sabah traders
The government has heard about the plight of the traders and hawkers in Sabah who were greatly affected from the reduced presence of tourists. Thus, an additional Prihatin Special Grant (GKP) of RM1,000 will be given to traders and hawkers in Sabah. This special grant will also be given to taxi drivers, e-hailing drivers, car rentals and tourist guides in Sabah.
Equity crowdfunding boost
To encourage more individual investors to participate in equity crowdfunding (ECF) platforms, an income tax exemption of 50% from the invested amount or limited to RM50,000 will be given.
RM30mil is allocated to a matching grant that will be invested into ECF platforms under the supervision of the Securities Commission.
Preparing for tourists
To ensure the readiness of tourist hotspots, RM50mil is prepared for the maintenance and repairs of tourism facilities all over the country. RM20mil has also been allocated for improving the infrastructure and spurring the promotion of Cultural Villages in Terengganu, Melaka, Sarawak and Negeri Sembilan.
Healthcare help
RM35mil allocated to the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council to increase competitiveness in the local health tourism sector.
The government will also extend the tax exemption for private healthcare service exports until 2022.
Micro credit financing
Micro credit financing of almost RM1.2bil will be made available through Tekun, PUNB, Agrobank, BSN and other financial institutions. This includes an additional RM110mil to the Micro Enterprises Facility under Bank Negara to encourage entrepreneurship activities among gig workers and those who are self-employed as well as to support the iTekad implementation programme.
Preserving heritage buildings
RM10mil will be allocated to ensure heritage buildings such as Bangunan Sultan Abdul Saad and Carcosa Seri Negara will be maintained and become tourism icons.
More child care centres at government buildings
To improve the support system for frontliners and working parents, RM30mil has been allocated for the setting up of child care centres at government buildings, especially hospitals. Another Rm20mil has been in grants will be allocated to the private sector to encourage them to set up similar centres.
Locals and Orang Asli as tourist guides
Employment opportunities will be provided to 500 people from the local community and the Orang Asli as tourist guides at all national parks to spur the ecotourism segment.
Help for airline staff
The government recognises that the tourism industry, especially airline companies, are among the most affected sectors. Thus, the government will provide training programs and relocations for 8,000 staff from airline companies in Malaysia, with an allocation of RM50mil.
Boost for palm oil sector
The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme will be continued with RM20mil to boost the growth of the country's palm oil sector. A matching grant of RM30mil to encourage investments will be introduced.
Social support centre for women
To combat the issue of domestic violence, the government will set up a social support centre with an allocation of RM21mil. With the help of NGOs, the centre will provide social and moral support for women, especially those facing domestic violence and divorce.
Promoting Malaysian-made goods
RM35mil will be allocated to promote Malaysian-made goods and services under the trade and investment mission.
Supporting the production of local products
The National Development Scheme (NDS) worth RM1.4bil will be allocated to support the implementation of domestic supply chain development and increase the production of local products such as medical equipment.
Safety net
RM24mil has been allocated for a Socso disaster scheme that is expected to benefit 100,000 workers, including delivery drivers and contractual civil service workers.
Contribution to battle Covid-19
Four glove manufacturers - Top Glove, Hartalega, Supermax and Kossan have committed to contribute RM400mil to battle Covid-19, including bearing the cost of the Covid-19 vaccine and health equipment.
<Encouraging high tech and innovative sector Encouraging high tech and innovative sector
RM500mil High Technology Fund will be provided by Bank Negara to support high tech and innovative sector companies.
EPF withdrawal for insurance purchase
The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) will allow its members to withdraw from their Account 2 to purchase insurance products for themselves and their family members. The Private Retirement Scheme (PRS) tax relief of RM3000 a year has been extended until 2025.
RM1bil will be provided as a technology and high value investment incentive package.
Allocation for Defence Ministry and Home Ministry
The Defence Ministry and the Home Ministry will be allocated RM16bil and RM17bil, respectively.
Improving cyber security safety
RM27mil will be allocated to CyberSecurity Malaysia to improve the cyber security safety of the country.
Laptops for online classes
To ensure students at higher learning institutions (IPT) on PTPTN loans are able to follow online classes, the government will work with BSN to ready RM100mil to finance Skim BSN MyRInggit-i COMSIS, a laptop computer loan scheme.
Unlimited pass, and beyond!
The My30 Unlimited Travel Pass initiative will be continued and further implemented in Penang and Kuantan with an overall allocation of RM300mil.
An unlimited monthly travel pass at RM5 will be introduced to students from Year One to Form Six, as well as disabled students.
Tax relief for parents saving for their children's future
To encourage parents to save for the costs of their children’s higher education fees, a tax relief of up to RM8.000 for National Education Savings Scheme (SSPN) net savings will be implemented until assessment year 2022.
Tourism aid
The wage subsidy programme will be extended for another three months, in a targeted manner especially for those in the tourism sector. Altogether, RM1.5bil has been allocated, with an estimated 70,000 employers and 900,000 workers expected to benefit.
Creating jobs
A short-term employment programme MyStep with an allocation of RM700mil will offer 50,000 contractual job opportunities in the civil service and government linked companies (GLCs) from January 2021.
Under this initiative, 35,000 jobs in the civil service will be offered, with a priority given to vacancies such as nurses and medical attendants. The GLCs will provide 15,000 jobs with a priority on technical and financial fields.
Better infrastructure in public universities
Some RM14.4bil will be allocated to the Higher Education Ministry. This would include RM50mil to repair infrastructure and old equipment in public universities.
Stamp duty exemption for first home owners
Full stamp duty exemption will be given to transfer of ownership document and loan agreement for the purchase of a first home worth not more than RM500,000. This exemption will be for the purchase agreement from January 2021 to Dec 31, 2025.
Stable internet connection in universities
To ensure stable internet connection in tertiary education institutions, the government has allocated RM50mil to upgrade the Malaysian Research and Education Network (MYREN) access from 500Mbps to 10Gbps.
Free laptops for students
In the new normal, online learning has become an everyday practice. GLCs and GLICs will contribute RM150mil to Tabung Cerdik to give laptops to 150,000 students at 500 schools in a pilot project. The project will be overseen by Yayasan Hasanah.
A healthier, fitter you (with apologies to Radiohead)
The government allocates RM19mil to implement the Healthy Malaysia National Agenda (Agenda Nasional Malaysia Sihat) to encourage a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk of of diabetes, hypertension and obesity.
As much as RM28mil will be allocated to carry out programmes like MyFit, Hari Sukan Negara and the Inspire programme for the disabled.
Higher lifestyle tax relief
The limit of the ‘lifestyle tax relief’ has been raised from RM2,500 to RM3,000, which is an increase of RM500 specifically for sports-related expenditure, including entrance participation fees for sports competitions. The scope of the relief has also been expanded to include subscription to electronic newspapers.
Assistance for rubber smallholders
To help rubber smallholders, the rubber production incentive will be increased from RM150mil to RM300mil, with an expected 150,000 smallholders to benefit from this. Another RM1.7bil will be allocated in forms of subsidies, assistance, and incentives for farmers and fishermen.
RM50 e-wallet credit for the youth
The government through the eYouth Programme (Program eBelia) will credit a one-off RM50 to e-wallet accounts of those aged between 18 and 20 years old. With the allocation of RM75mil, the initiative will benefit some 1.5mil youths.
Community centres for childcare
Community centres will be provided as a place of care for children after their school session ends.
Early childhood education programmes
RM170mil will be allocated for the early childhood education programmes by the Community Development Department (Kemas).
Tax deduction for employers of senior citizens
Additional tax deductions will be given to employers who employ senior citizens. This tax deduction will be extended until 2025.
RM2.7 billion is allocated for the improvement of rural infrastructure.
Appreciation for artists
RM15mil will be allocated to the Cultural Economy Development Agency (Cendana) for the implementation of various art and cultural programmes that will benefit more than 5000 artists and those who work behind the scenes.
Community programmes
For the Chinese community: RM177mil will be provided for the improvement of education facilities, housing and new village development.
For the Indian community: RM100mil be allocated to the Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA) to empower the socioeconomic status of the Indian community.
PenjanaKerjaya
Under the recruitment of workers under Social Security Organisation (Socso) known as the PenjanaKerjaya:
Incentives for workers earning RM1500 and above will be increased from a rate of RM800 a month, to 40% from of its monthly salary, limited to an incentive of RM4000 a month.
Employers will be given an additional incentive of 20% to encourage job opportunities for people with disabilities, those who are unemployed long-term and workers who have been terminated.
For sectors with high reliance on foreign workers such as those in construction and plantation sector, a special incentive of 60% of the monthly salary will be provided with 40% channeled directly to employers and 20% to local workers to replace the foreign workers.
These incentive will be given for a period of six months.
Those hired under the PenjanaKerjaya, the maximum cost of the training programme that can be claimed by employers will be raised from RM4000 to RM7000 to undergo the a high-skilled programme or a professional certificate programme.
Optomising the value of Malay reserve land
RM750mil will be allocated to Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad (PHB) under the 12th Malaysian Plan to increase the value of Bumiputra reserve land.
Lower EPF contributions
The EPF contribution rate for workers will be reduced from 11% to 9% starting January 2021, for 12 months, worth a total of RM9.3bil.
Reskilling and upskilling programmes
RM1 billion will be allocated for upskilling and reskilling programme involving 200,000 people.
LOWER TAXES … for some
The income tax of those earning between RM50,001 and RM70,000 will be lowered by one percentage point, expected to benefit 1.4 million taxpayers.
For a period of two assessment years, the income tax exemption limit for compensation paid upon job loss will be increased from RM10,000 to RM20,000 for every year of service completed.
Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR)
The Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) assistance package will be changed to Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) with better assistance.
1) Those with a household income of less than RM2500, and with a child will receive RM1200, while those with two children or more will receive RM1800.
2) Those with a household income of between RM2501 and RM4000, and with one child will receive RM800, while those with two children or more will receive RM1200.
3) Those with a household income of between RM4000 and RM5001, and with one child will receive RM500, while those with two children or more will receive RM750.
4) Single individuals with an income of less than Rm2500 will receive RM350.
The BPR is expected to benefit 8.1mil people with an allocation of Rm6.5bil.
Welfare assistance for the disabled
To assist the disabled (OKU), the government has agreed to increase the monthly welfare assistance for the group which includes;
1. Non-working OKU allowance increased from RM250 to RM300;
2. Assistance for senior citizens as well as OKU and chronic patients increased from RM350 to RM500;
3. Allowance for OKU workers increased from RM400 to RM450;
4. Assistance for children from poor families to be increased. An increase of RM100 to RM150 per child between the age of seven and 18 years, and up to RM450 per family, or an increase to RM200 for a child aged six and below per family to a maximum of RM1,000 per family.
EPF withdrawal
In a much awaited-move, the government has announced the targeted facility to withdraw EPF savings from Account 1, as much as RM500 per month, amounting up to RM6,,000 for 12 months.
This withdrawal is to assist EPF members who have lost their jobs, and is expected to lighten the financial burden of 600,000 affected members.
Taking into account both the i-Lestari initiative as well as the Account 1 withdrawal facility, the total of cash withdrawal is up to RM12,000.
It is projected that the total payment for Account 1 withdrawals will involve RM4bil.
Eligible members can apply starting January 2021.
Life and health
The government will expand mySalam protection for medical device cost claims such as stents for the heart, or prostheses.
The government also intends to expand social protections for the B40 group through a voucher programme for life insurance.
Each B40 recipient will be given RM50 vouchers as financial assistance for products such as takaful and personal accident insurance.
At the same time, the government will also extend the period of stamp duty exemption on all life insurance products, not exceeding RM100, for another five years until the 2025 assessment year.
BPN2.0 second phase payments in 2021
The BPN was introduced to reduce cash flow burdens for the rakyat who are affected in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2020, BPN and the Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) involved the channelling of RM21bil to 10.6 million recipients. In January 2021, the BPN2.0 second phase payments amounting RM2.2bil will be channelled out.
Pneumococcal immunisation programme
A pneumococcal immunisation programme will be implemented for children with an allocation of RM90mil which is expected to benefit 500,000 children.
#KitaJagaKita
The Finance Minister says he is touched with the #KitaJagaKita spirit among Malaysians, and recalls the story of Bertam-born Rosnizam Ishak, who started a marinated lamb business using Bantuan Prihatin Nasional, creating job opportunities for those in the vicinity.
He also cites the example of Pajan Singh Kirpal Singh, who provided free accommodation for frontliners posted to Kuantan during the movement control order and recovery movement control order period, and Michelle Kugan, a crystal and pearl entrepreneur who used micro loans under the National Entrepreneur Group Economic Fund (Tekun) to sustain her business in Tuaran, Sabah.
Thus, Budget 2021 is crafted for Malaysians and themed “Teguh Kita, Menang Bersama”.
Pro-vaxxers
To encourage Malaysians to get preventive vaccinations to curb the spread of diseases, the government will expand the scope of tax exemption for the medical treatment covering vaccination expenses such as pneumococcal, influenza and Covid-19.
Tax exemption will be given for the vaccination costs for self, spouses and children limited to RM1,000.
Tax relief
The government will raise the tax relief limit on personal, spouse and child medical treatment for serious illnesses from RM6,000 to RM8,000. In addition, the tax relief for a full health screening will be increased from RM500 to RM1,000.
The tax relief on expenses for medical treatment, special needs and parental care has also been raised from RM5,000 to RM8,000.
Big budget
Govt allocates RM322.5bil, or 20.6% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), for Budget 2021. This is an increase from its total expenditure allocation for 2020, which has been revised upwards to RM314.7bil from the initial budget estimate of RM297bil.
Every individual in B40 group will receive a special voucher worth RM50 to buy takaful hayat and personal accident insurance.
An allocation of RM24mil is provided to address mental health issues by strengthening Mental Health, Terrorism and Injury Prevention Program as well as Substance Abuse.
The maximum tax relief for individual, spouse and children's medical expenses for serious medical ailments raised to RM8,000 from RM6,000
Fight the good fight
RM150mil will also be allocated for the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) to coordinate efforts to fight Covid-19.
Hail the frontliners
To honour the sacrifices of frontline workers in handling the Covid-19 pandemic, the government has agreed to a one-off payment of RM500 to them, which is expected to benefit 100,000 people.
For 2021, the government said it will allocate RM1bil more to fight the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
For the year 2020, the government has allocated RM1.8bil for the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) as well as related public health facilities related to Covid-19 among which is to purchase personal protection equipment (PPE), reagents and consumables.
The government will raise the ceiling of the Kumpulan Wang Covid-19 by RM20bil to RM65bil to fund the Kita Prihatin initiative.
The government proposes to raise the ceiling of the Covid-19 Fund by RM20bil to RM65bil.
Three main objectives of Budget 2021
Firstly: The wellbeing of the people
Secondly: Business continuity
Thirdly: Resilience of the economy
Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz points out that Malaysia has gone through a challenging year in 2020. He says that never in modern history has a plague caused such an impact.
We will get through this!
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz: The government expects the economy to recover in 2021, and to grow by between 6.5% and 7.5% in line with the stimulus packages and Budget 2021.
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz begins his speech.
Speaker allows the request and calls all MPs to enter the hall.
Let us in!
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urges that more MPs be allowed into the Hall to hear and debate the Budget 2021 proposal.
AmBank
Group CEO Datuk Sulaiman Mohd Tahir says the government’s Budget 2021
is one that is reflective of the need for mitigatory measures to manage
the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Govt introduces special assistance 'Kita Prihatin' package
The Perikatan Nasional government has introduced a special assistance initiative package known as 'Kita Prihatin'.
In
a special address on national television on Wednesday, Prime Minister
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Prihatin economic stimulus package
involves RM295bil or 20% of the GDP.
ETALING JAYA: The government has introduced several new initiatives worth RM10bil to help people weather the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Kita Prihatin package is an additional stimulus to previous government initiatives such as the RM35bil Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara (Penjana) announced in June and the RM260bil Prihatin package in March.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said while the figures showed that there was economic recovery, new initiatives were needed as many were still facing difficulties.
He said the Wage Subsidy Programme 2.0 was targeted at firms seeing a drop in revenue of up to 30% compared to last year since the recovery movement control order (MCO).
A wage subsidy of RM600 monthly will be given to a maximum of 200 employees each for three months, with applications to be open from Oct 1 until Dec 31 this year.
The Prime Minister said he received feedback that many companies were not eligible for the scheme because they had not registered with the Social Security Organisation (Socso) before April 1.
He said to ensure they were not left behind, the second scheme would be open to companies that registered with Socso before Aug 31.
“For new applications that did not receive assistance under the Wage Subsidy Scheme programme, they will be eligible for subsidies for up to six months, ” he said yesterday in a special address to announce the initiatives.
He said the implementation of the programme was expected to benefit 1.3 million workers with an allocation of RM2.4bil.
Muhyiddin also announced a Special Prihatin Grant (GKP) to help micro businesses that were facing financial difficulties because of the pandemic.
He said it would be open to business owners registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia or with local authorities before Aug 31, with payments to be made from Nov 25.
“The reopening of this initiative is expected to benefit over 200,000 micro businesses, with an allocation of almost RM600mil, ” he said.
Another RM7bil in cash aid under Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) 2.0 would be channelled to 10.6 million recipients, said Muhyiddin.
He said RM1,000 would be given to 3.7 million families in the B40 category, RM500 to 3.8 million single folk in the B40 group, RM600 to 1.4 million M40 families, and RM300 to 1.7 million singles in the M40 group.
The payments will be made in two batches – at the end of October this year and in January next year.
“There will be no need to apply for BPN 2.0. The government will channel aid directly
to the 10.6 million recipients who were approved previously.
“To those who are eligible but never received BPN, the government will give them a chance to appeal and submit new applications.
“I hope that with this additional assistance, you can breathe a sigh of relief in covering the daily expenses for you and your family, ” he said.
Muhyiddin also appealed to the public to reject the actions of several politicians whom he claimed wanted to undermine the political stability and the nation’s ongoing economic recovery plan.
He said the country needed a stable and strong government with the support of the public.
“This is important so that more initiatives to restore the economy and help the people can be implemented effectively by the government, ” he said.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) 2.0
Q What is BPN 2.0?
A It is an extra aid provided by the Government for the B40 and M40 to reduce their financial burden due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The issuance of BPN 2.0 is based on the BPN 2020 database comprising a list of 10.6 million previously approved recipients.
Q Who is eligible to receive BPN 2.0?
A BPN 2.0 recipients will be those who previously received the last payment of BPN 2020.
Q Do I need to apply for BPN 2.0?
A You do not need to apply for BPN 2.0 if you have previously received the last payment of BPN 2020.
Q Can I submit a new application if I have not been listed as a recipient of BPN 2.0?
A New applications for BPN 2.0 can be made starting Oct 15, 2020.
B. Payment of BPN 2.0
Q How much is the payout that will be given for BPN 2.0?
A The amount of payout will be as follows:
> B40 household earning less than RM4,000:
First phase=RM700; Second phase=RM300; Total=RM1,000 >
M40 household earning between RM4,001 and RM8,000:
First phase=RM400; Second phase=RM200; Total=RM600
> B40 singles earning less than RM2,000:
First phase=RM350; Second phase=RM150; Total=RM500
> M40 singles earning between RM2,001 and RM4,000:
First phase=RM200; Second phase=RM100; Total=RM300
Q When will BPN 2.0 payouts be made?
A First phase will be at the end of October 2020. Second phase will be in January 2021.
Q How will BPN 2.0 payouts be made?
A i. Those with active bank accounts - the payment will be credited into the account number listed in the BPN 2020 database.
ii. Those with inactive or closed bank accounts - claim the cash at a Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branch.
iii. Those with no bank accounts - claim the cash at a BSN branch.
Q How will BSN 2.0 payouts be made for recipients in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak?
Payments for recipients with no bank accounts living in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak will start in January 2021.
Q Can I update my personal details such as my bank account that is no longer active?
A Updating bank account information is not allowed because the payment method for BPN 2.0 will be the same as the payment method of the previous BPN 2020 (refer to the answer for question 7).
Q If the payout was made to an inactive or incorrect bank account, what should I do?
A You can claim the cash at a BSN branch after the serial number has appeared. You can check your application status via the official BPN portal at https://bpn.hasil.gov.my
C. Status check
Q When and how can I check my application status for BPN 2.0?
A Recipients who are eligible to receive BPN 2.0 can check their status starting Oct 15 via the official portal at https://bpn. hasil.gov.my
Q What should I do if I forget my password to log into the portal and what if I fail to answer the security question?
A You need to wait for 10 minutes before attempting to answer the security question again. If you still fail to answer, you can contact the Hasil Care Line (HCL) at 03- 89111000 to reset your account and security question or contact the nearest IRB branch.
D. Other matters
Q Based on my status check, I was approved as a recipient in the M40 category for BPN 2020. Can I appeal to be a recipient in the B40 category for BPN 2.0?
A The BPN 2.0 qualification category is based on the final approval for BPN 2020.
Q I was a BPN 2020 recipient under the singles category but I am now married. Am I eligible to receive BPN 2.0 under the household category?
A You can submit a new application or appeal starting Oct 15, 2020 under the household category if you meet all the criteria.
Q I was married to a BPN 2020 recipient under the household category but I am now divorced. Am I eligible to receive BPN 2.0 under the single mother or father category?
A You can submit a new application/appeal starting Oct 15, 2020 under the single mother or father category if you meet all the criteria.
Q I am single and will turn 21 years old in 2021. If I am not yet 21 years old at the time that the application opens up, am I eligible to apply?
A Those born in 1999 or before are eligible to apply.
Q I received BPN 2020 previously and now wish to reject BPN 2.0. How can I return the cash aid?
A You can do the following: i. Submit a letter to the Finance Ministry stating your full name, MyKad number and reason for returning the cash aid.
ii. Come up with a bank draft or cheque addressed to the Accountant General of Malaysia according to the amount being returned.
iii. The letter and bank draft or cheque must then be submitted to the Finance Ministry at the following address:
Pejabat Belanjawan Negara, Kementerian Kewangan Malaysia, Presint 2, 62592 Putrajaya.
