BR1M application: Rope in community chiefs

1

Andrew Shilling

Dr Annuar Rapaee

Sim Kok Kee

Penghulu Enyang Menchol

SIBU: Community leaders should be asked to assist in distributing and collecting 1Malaysia People Assistance (BR1M) application forms as the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) office here has been continuously swamped by large crowds of people.

A political secretary to the chief minister Andrew Shilling in giving the suggestion yesterday, reckoned that enlisting the services of community leaders such as Temenggong, Pemanca, Penghulu, Tuai Rumah (TR) and so on would ensure that information pertaining to BR1M are better disseminated to the people, especially those in the hinterlands.

“The Tuai Rumahs, for instance, can help distribute the forms to their charges thus removing the hassle of longhouse folk needing to travel a long distance to the town.

“And later, they can help to collect the forms and submit them one shot rather than individually, reducing the bottlenecks at IRB. This will create convenience and avoid incurring unnecessary expenses as longhouse folk can just hand in their completed forms to them before the deadline for submission,” Shilling, who is also SUPP Sibu branch’s Bumiputera unit head told The Borneo Post.

He was asked to respond to the massive congestion at IRB office here, prompted by the collection and submission of BR1M application forms.

Based on the notices pasted at various points at the IRB office, the closing date for submission is Jan 10 next year.

Meanwhile, a mammoth crowd continued to build up at the IRB building and nearby areas yesterday as vehicles were forced to move at a snail’s pace.

On Monday, pandemonium broke out at IRB here when a huge crowd frantically pushed and jostled their way through to submit their application forms.

The melee was believed to have been ignited by miscommunication on the deadline for submission.

Shilling added that the services of community leaders would certainly come handy as they could advise the folks on relevant documents to be submitted with the forms.

“They (community leaders) can inform the people that they need to photocopy their MyKads and submit their salary slips (for those employed).

“This will ensure that their documents submitted are complete thus avoiding any unnecessary hassle,” he said.

Echoing Shilling’s view, Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee too believed that this would reduce the huge crowd at IRB and iron out the bottlenecks.

Added Dr Annuar: “Perhaps, village security and development committees (JKKK) should be mobilised to assist in the distribution and collection of BR1M application forms.”

Enlisting their services, he figured would help complement the services of community leaders while lessening their burden.

Meanwhile, Penghulu Enyang Menchol also gave the thumbs-up to the suggestion.

“The proposed move will certainly lift the load off IRB’s shoulder. Perhaps, Tuai Rumahs need to endorse the application forms to avoid applicants from the same family submitting multiple forms,” Enyang opined.

When contacted, Sibu Resident Sim Kok Kee welcomed the suggestion to involve community leaders and JKKKs.

Nevertheless, he assured: “District offices are prepared to assist IRB and provide space (if necessary).”