Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Unjust BR1M - the poorer must receive more assistance...the richer households lesser

BR1M - the injustice here is that everyone qualified gets the same amount of 'financial assistance' - Those earning less than RM1,000 should get more..those with less than RM1,500, RM2,000, RM2,500 and RM3,000 should be receiving different amounts of financial assistance - not the same RM650-00. The poorer households and individuals certainly receive more assistance.

21 million poor Malaysians in need of government financial aid? Poverty line income should be increased to RM3,000 in line with BR1M



Time to review the Minimum Wage of RM900-00 to be in line with the increasing cost of living ...when was this figure of RM900-00 fixed? 2011? 2012? In 2009, the average poverty line income was RM800-00 - what is it now? Will the government tell us this? What factors are taken into account? fuel prices?tol rates? parking? food price? kangkung price? Be transparent, Malaysians deserve to know details.

Malaysians want to be independent financially - BRIM not a RIGHT but a handout from time to time creating dependence on PM Najib and the BN government

Financial assistance to poor and needy Malaysians is certainly a must - but it cannot remain a discretion of the Prime Minister and his cabinet... it must be made a right in law. Maybe we need a FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ACT - a law that stipulate clearly the different kinds of financial assistance that Malaysians would need. It could be as follows:-
a) Financial assistance for households earning less than RM3,000, and individuals living alone earning less than RM2,500-00
b) Financial assistance to those with disabilities and reduced earning capacities due to physical, mental or other reasons 
c) Financial assistance to the elderly (those above 55 years with no pensions or personal income less than RM1,000)
d)  Financial assistance for workers during priods of unemployment - unemployment benefit, Thailand has it, why should Malaysia also not have it...

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT - The unemployed workers need financial assistance - and in 2014, by reason of the increased usage of short term (or fixed duration) employment contracts rather than regular employment until retirement, many more workers become unemployed, some for certain periods until they can find a new employment. Likewise, the use of the contractor for labour system is also resulting in the higher risk of unemployment.

If it becomes a RIGHT - then, Malaysians will better served. The assurance of the existence of such benefits would be comforting.

It is good that this BN government has finally decided to bank in directly the monies into  the bank accounts of the recipients of BR1M - it is certainly better and saves a lot of wasted time and effort. Previously, one had to go to some 'Hall' and wait for hours for some politician to speak, and then queue up for their moneys. Then, there was this voucher that was given to recipients, who then had to go to designated banks to cash out the monies, and then ... well, BN has learned, and it is good that these monies would be banked in directly into the recipients bank accounts..

Payment of the latest edition of the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) will be credited to the recipient's bank account on Feb 22, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said today.

He said about 5.4 million recipients will receive their BR1M payment on Feb 22, the same day it will be launched by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"The remaining two million recipients who do not have bank accounts, they will receive their BR1M payment in stages starting Feb 23.

"The payment will be handed over to them at a ceremony to be held in all the 222 parliamentary constituencies," he told reporters at the Tambun parliamentary Chinese New Year open house at SJKC Pei Cheng, Chemor near here.
Talking about bank accounts, the alleged Bank Negara ruling that the person with a savings account has to personally go to the Bank to get his/her account savings book updated must go - in Thailand, account books can even be updated at ATM machines.   Updating account books are important because people want to check whether money has come in or gone out. For the purposes of taking out money, it is understandable why the account holder needs to be present personally at the Bank...but certainly just updating the book should not require personal attendance at the bank.

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