KUALA LUMPUR: Any plans to give direct cash aid to reduce poverty will be announced during the tabling of Budget 2023, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In a parliamentary written reply, the Prime Minister said the government was committed to ensuring that direct cash assistance would continue to be channelled to target groups to cope with the rising cost of living.
“Each manifesto from political parties that form the current Federal Government will be further fine-tuned by the Finance Ministry.
“The government is concerned about the welfare of every stratum of society, especially the B40 group,” said Anwar in response to a question from Zahari Hasan (PN-Padang Rengas). Zahari had asked whether the government would implement a basic income assistance scheme where households earning less than RM2,208 per month would receive some cash every month.
Anwar said the government was concerned about the welfare of all Malaysians, especially the B40 income earners.
B40 refers to those in the bottom 40% of the socioeconomic ladder, with those in the “hardcore poor” also falling into this category.
“In 2022, the government allocated RM8bil for the implementation of direct cash assistance to 8.7 million recipients in a bid to address the cost of living issues faced by the people after the Covid-19 pandemic,” said the Prime Minister.
This year, he said, the government had introduced the Rahmah Cash Contribution to ease the burden of the underprivileged.
From Jan 17, up to 8.7 million B40 recipients with a monthly income of less than RM5,000 received the first phase of the payment totalling RM1.67bil.
“In addition, apart from Rahmah Cash Contribution, the Welfare Department also provides a child assistance scheme of up to RM1,000 per month to poor families.
“The scheme includes those who earn below the poverty line, which is RM1,169 per month,” he said.
