SARIKEI: A total of 443 hardcore poor people in the state this year have been given ‘tagged’ allocation of RM5,000 each for deposit into their Amanah Saham Bumiputera.
Nanta (third left) presents an ASB allocation to a recipient as (from left) Chaiti, Len, Julaihi, Salang, Mohammad and Dahim look on.
The allocation was disbursed under the government’s Amanah Saham Bumiputera Sejahtera assistance programme through the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development to generate additional income for the hardcore poor in the form of annual ASB dividend, its deputy minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said.
Nanta stated this when he representing Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi TanSri Alfred Jabu at the presentation ceremony of the assistance for the central region at the civic centre here yesterday.
A total of RM2,215 million had been allocated to the 443 recipients in the state this year, Nanta said, adding, the amount was part of the RM10 million allocated to some 2,000 recipients nationwide.
The recipients would only get the dividend generated from the RM5,000 invested in their
ASB accounts, Nanta said, adding, the participants could only withdraw the dividend whereas the RM5,000 principal remained as the government’s property tagged under their name.
“The participants will only get the annual dividend which will be credited directly into their ASB accounts once the ASNB makes the declaration.”
Nevertheless, Nanta advised the participants to reinvest the dividends for more saving for rainy days.
Assistant Minister of Industrial Development (Investment and Promotion) Datuk Julaihi Narawi who also spoke at the function said the 135 recipients in the central region comprised hardcore poor from Mukah, Sarikei, Sibu and Kapit divisions.
The recipients were among those with household income of RM600 and below and registered under the e-Kasih programme, he said, adding, approval also required endorsement from the elected representatives or the so-called Focus Group.
The participants could expect to receive about RM400 in annual dividends, he said.
Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Culture MP Datuk Joseph Salang, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Rural Development Datu Chaiti Bolhassan and Sarikei Resident Dahim Nadot were among those present at the function.