Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais
Dr Annuar Rapaee
SIBU: The opposition should not turn the 1Malaysia People Assistance (BR1M) into an issue to gain political mileage, as this is honest government assistance to help the needy.
Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development) Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais took a swipe at the opposition yesterday, saying if they created an issue out of BR1M, they were against the government providing assistance to the people.
“They will turn everything into an issue against BN for their own advantage.
“But whatever it is, this is an honest assistance by the government to help all those in need,” Naroden told The Borneo Post when met here.
He was asked if the opposition would capitalise on BR1M this coming General Election, sensationalise the issue to win the people’s sympathy, in particular those who failed in their appeal.
He pointed out that the cash assistance was given to everyone who was eligible irrespective of race, religious belief or political affiliation.
When told that DAP in Penang gave out RM100 to the people, he said the amount given by the BN government was five times more.
“The question is why DAP only gives the aid in Penang and not the whole of Malaysia. BN on the contrary, distributed the RM500 cash aid to those eligible throughout the country,” he asserted.
“And on top of that, BN government has many assistance and welfare programmes to assist the people, such as subsidies,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee too felt the opposition should not turn BR1M into an issue.
He said the government did not practise favouritism in giving out the aid.
He urged those who did not get the aid to appeal as there is no system in the world that does not have drawbacks.
Even so, he was confident if after they appealed and still could not get the assistance, they did not fit the criteria set.