Gawai shopping in Sarikei
SARIKEI: With the timely distribution of 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M), financial constraint should not be the reason for anyone not to celebrate Gawai this year.
Officially, the second of the three-part BR1M payment for this year was supposed to be disbursed from yesterday, but it was learnt that payment had been credited into some of the recipients’ bank accounts since last Tuesday and BR1M vouchers had also been distributed to recipients who do not have bank accounts before the official ‘pay day’.
The amount for this year’s BR1M is RM950 for a family with monthly household income not exceeding RM3,000; RM750 for a family with monthly household income between RM3,000 and RM4,000 and RM350 for singles aged 21 years and above with monthly income not exceeding RM2,000.
Payment for the RM950 BR1M is divided into three chunks, with the first amounting to RM300 paid in last January; the second (RM300) this May and the balance of RM350 on September 28; those entitled to RM750 who had already received RM200 in January will get RM200 this month and get the balance of RM350 in September while those entitled to RM350 received theirs in one lump sum last January.
BR1M recipients from the Dayak community have a special reason to rejoice over the timely disbursement of the cash aid as it would greatly help them in their preparation for the celebration.
Those in the low-income group in particular are the most relieved as the cash assistance will
enable them to join in the celebration.
Most of those interviewed by The Borneo Post but declined to be photographed or identified said they would use the cash aid to buy new clothes for their family and festive goodies.
There were some who had yet to receive the aid, but considered it a blessing in disguise as they would have at least some money left to spend after the celebration.