Chiew (third left) presents a ‘Bakul Rahmah’ to one of the recipients, as Mohd Sayuthi (fifth right), Matthew (fourth right) and others look on.
MIRI (Oct 22): The Central Database Hub (Padu) initiative under the Ministry of Economy is out to ensure the success of the government’s implementation of targeted subsidies, especially for the B40 (low-income) group, says Datuk Seri Mohd Sayuthi Bakar.
According to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) secretary-general, the database is expected to reach completion by the end of this year.
“At present, we do not have a card that categorises one as B40, M40 (medium income) or T20 (Top 20 per cent of high income) group. But when the government implements this database called Padu, under the Ministry of Economy, it is meant to assist us in identifying the groups that are deserving of government’s assistance,” he said in an interview after visiting the Rahmah Sales Programme at Everrise Boulevard Commercial Centre supermarket here yesterday.
Mohd Sayuthi added that once the data had been streamlined, the forms of assistance would also be more structured than before, and therefore, they would reach the target groups.
On Rahmah Sales, he said the target groups would be the B40 households, as well as the M40s with large families.
“To ensure that this programme would benefit the targeted group, we have set a limit on the items that can be purchased by one person.
“We hope that no one would abuse this programme by purchasing the items either for resale, or to be used in their own restaurant.
“We hope everyone would be honest because we really want the targeted groups to benefit from this government’s initiative,” he said.
Additionally, Mohd Sayuthi said the Rahmah Sales Programme would be further extended to the rural areas, especially in Sarawak, in line with its objective of reaching out to the B40 group.
Earlier, the KPDN secretary-general witnessed the handing-over of ‘Bakul Rahmah’ (Rahmah Food Basket) to 300 people.
Miri MP Chiew Choon Man and KPDN Sarawak director Matthew Barin were also present.