SIBU, July 8: The authority has been urged to use the updated data of Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) recipients approved by the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) for easier disbursement of Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance (BKSS) of RM250 cash payout for six months.
As it is, the list of BKSS recipients is based on the list of as of January 2020 in LHDN.
This has caused complications to some eligible recipients.
A single parent, Darren Ngu, 54, can attest to that.
Ngu had divorced with his wife. He had submitted the divorced document to LHDN on March 6, 2020. However the BKSS money had been deposited to his wife’s bank account since the first payout on April 15.
“Since January this year, I have my own Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) account. But as the aid is to be channeled to the female head of the family, my wife had created a Bank Simpanan account on the advice of LHDN in January. The first BSH money had been deposited into her account and so is the BKSS starting April,” he said.
On April 24, he received a letter from State Economic Planning Unit which certified that he is eligible for the BKSS.
The letter also told him that if he does not have an account with LHDN, the assistance would be made via cash through BSN branches of Phase One RM750 in end of April and Phase Two RM750 after July 17.
“I had checked with BSN and was told there is none for me,” he said,
On June 16, he went to BSN branch again to check and was told that assistance had been credited to his former wife’s account.
“I have complained to Sibu Treasury office between seven to eight times already but they referred me to state Talikhidmat. Then Talikhidmat referred me to the State Treasury office,” he said.
Ngu, an e-hailing driver, was told by the State Treasury office that that his appeal was still being looked at.
“It is already July now and there is no further news from them. The authority should have just followed the latest data and not January’s one. This is making things very complicated for me now,” he said with sadness.
A total of 430,000 Sarawakians from the low income or B40 group are to receive their BKSS monthly RM250 cash payout starting April.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Open on March 23 announced the RM1.15 billion Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance Package to help Sarawakians face the economic uncertainties made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic.-DayakDaily
