First payment of BR1M 2.0 in January 2013

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KUALA LUMPUR: The government expects to disburse the first tranche of the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M 2.0) cash aid in January next year, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai said yesterday.

He said the application forms for both the RM500 and RM250 cash aids would be made available to eligible applicants next month.

With the experience gained from the first BR1M disbursement, the government believes that it can finalise the cash aid recipients’ data within two months, he told reporters after opening the Alorie Cocoon Wellness Resort here.

Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the BRIM 2.0 when tabling the 2013 Budget in Parliament on Sept 28.

Malaysians with a household income of less than RM3,000 a month are eligible for the one off RM500 cash aid, while single unmarried individuals aged 21 and above and earning not more than RM2,000 a month are eligible for the RM250 aid.

“We will be issuing the application forms for fresh applicants for the RM500 and RM250 cash aids in early November.

“Because the successful applicants for the previous BR1M do not need to apply, we will only take two months to compile the data.

“The application form for the RM250 cash aid will be a separate form and will not be similar with the household assistance,” Lim said.

He added that the applications would have to go through a similar approval process, just like the first edition of BR1M.

“It will go through the Inland Revenue Board and several government agencies,” he said.— Bernama