KUALA LUMPUR: The Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM) assistance was lauded as being people-centric assistance offering huge relief to its recipients during the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Ernie Mansor, 48, from Sungai Petani said the assistance showed the government's mindfulness of the difficulties faced by Malaysians, especially those coming from low-income families.
The housewife said she could not contain her happiness in hearing the BKM aid announcement today.
"The BKM assistance will give eligible recipients, including me, some space to breathe. With schools and businesses reopening, parents from the low-income community can use any financial help they can get.
"Regardless of the amount, any help is welcomed, especially during these trying times," the mother of four told the New Straits Times.
A 26-year-old freelance technician from Semenyih, Amalina Ahmad Nizam, said the financial assistance would be enough to sustain a small family for a short period.
She said the government was paying attention and going the extra mile to ensure every area affecting low-income families was being financially assisted.
"It is good news because the amount of assistance allocated had increased compared to those disbursed under few stimulus packages previously.
"This assistance is better than that provided previously because families can use BKM assistance as a financial cushion, however they need to fit it, during this pandemic," she said.
Senior citizen Siti Redziah Abdullah, 78, said the government's thoughtfulness towards the elderly was apparent through the BKM allocation.
"I feel the amount allocated for senior citizens is enough as most of us don't have huge financial commitments. I am happy to know that I'm included in the BKM aid.
"I hope the assistance will be disbursed equally, especially in reaching recipients that are really in need of it," she said.
However, for senior citizen single mother Rahmah Othman, 65, the amount allocated under BKM is 'not quite enough'.
"Undoubtedly, the BKM assistance amount would provide a relief for recipients, but for senior citizens, in particular, perhaps the amount is only enough for them to buy their supplements or vitamins.
"Truthfully, the amount is not quite enough for me. If I may suggest, perhaps the government can consider increasing the amount of BKM assistance, especially for single mothers and the elderly.
"And also, instead of disbursing the one-off assistance, maybe the government can consider disbursing it monthly," she said.
Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz earlier today announced the one-off BKM payment allocated under Budget 2022, where its eligible recipients include households with three or more children, single mothers or fathers, as well as the elderly.
He said households with three or more children with a monthly income of less than RM2,500 are eligible to receive RM2,500 in assistance.
"Single mothers and fathers with a monthly income of less than RM5,000 are eligible to receive RM500 in assistance, while senior citizens are eligible to receive RM300.
"Overall, the assistance with an allocation of RM8.2 billion is expected to benefit 9.6 million recipients," he said.