Better, proper distribution system for BR1M needed
by Conny Banji, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on January 31, 2012, Tuesday
EAGER: Section of the huge crowd at Sibu Town Phase 1.
SIBU: There should be a better and proper system for the distribution of the 1Malaysia People’s Assistance (BR1M) especially for recipients from the rural areas.
Tamin assemblyman Joseph Mauh suggested that the handouts be distributed in the form of grants or cash through the Village Security and Development Committees (JKKKs).
“The JKKK chairman or longhouse chief can distribute the money once they received the handouts in their respective longhouses or villages.
CHAOTIC: People swarm Sibu Town Square Phase 1 to check their BR1M application status and to get their vouchers.
Stephen Chendang
Joseph Mauh Ikeh
Betun Beluko
“This is to avoid a rush to town to check their application status and then later taking and cashing their vouchers,” he said when met by The Borneo Post and Utusan Borneo yesterday.
He said the applicants in urban areas had no problem coming to check their status two or three times.
The problem is with rural people, particularly with transportation, he said.
“Imagine those who have to come to town using longboats or rented cars. They have to bear the transportation cost.
“I do not think that those 60 years and above could stand to queue up under the scorching sun.
“And what about those who are illiterate? How are they going to check their names if they cannot read?” he said, adding that his concern was that the disorder would be politicised by the opposition.
Mauh earlier observed how people swarmed the Sibu Town Square Phase 1, where staff of the Sibu District Office posted the names of successful BR1M applicants.
The applicants were those under five state constituencies here, namely Dudong, Bukit Assek, Nangka, Pelawan and Bawang Assan.
The crowd gathered there as early as 7.30am.
There was some pushing and pulling with several Rela personnel going on and District Office staff members were called in to help control the situation.
By 10am, the lists that were posted on the notice boards had already been taken down and passed round.
Sporadic yells were heard from staffers calling on the people to queue up.
Councillor Stephen Chendang from Sungai Bawan in Kanowit also shared Mauh’s view.
He suggested that one way to distribute BR1M was through penghulus and longhouse chiefs from the respective district offices.
“What they should do is to send the lists of successful applicants to penghulus who later could distribute the lists to longhouse chiefs under their jurisdictions.
“This mean the recipients do not have to come to town,” he said.
An applicant, Betun Beluko, 66, from Rumah Ikau in Ulu Durin Kiba, said she had come to the town twice since BR1M recipients were announced on Jan 15 just to check her status.
She came again yesterday to take her voucher and the farmer complained that she had to wait in a long queue.
“I had to leave my half paralysed husband at home,” she lamented.
