KUCHING, Oct 19: Deputy Finance Minister II Steven Sim Chee Keong has announced that the government will distribute a RM100 e-wallet assistance to eligible recipients in December.
“This RM100 e-wallet assistance will be distributed in December. Citizens are asked to be patient because the government will fulfill its promises,” Sim told Bernama, according to a TVS news report.
He went on to say that the impact of the initiative is not limited to the recipients’ households, but also extends to the local market, especially small traders and hawkers.
During the launch of the ‘Madani Economy: Empowering the People’ event on July 27, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made an announcement regarding the RM100 e-wallet assistance.
He stated that this assistance would be credited to all Malaysians aged 21-years-old and above.
The RM100 e-wallet assistance is a recent government initiative aimed at supporting individuals from the B40 and M40 groups who have an annual income below RM100,000.
Meanwhile, during the ‘Apa Khabar Malaysia’ talk show on Bernama TV, Sim said the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) 2024 that was announced in the Budget 2024 would benefit 700,000 Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) recipients.
He mentioned that eligible recipients would receive a monthly contribution of RM100 for a period of 12 months.
“For example, we leave chicken and meat prices to the market, meaning everyone has to buy at market prices but for those in need, we have many initiatives, including STR, which has increased from RM8 billion to RM10 billion, and the SARA programme.
“We provide RM100 monthly for a year to families that are under STR, this is on top of the STR itself. We provide direct cash assistance to our target groups so they can use the money to buy necessities. This is what we call direct cash transfer,” he said.
In response to concerns that assistance may not be used for necessities, Sim stated that the government must have faith in the less fortunate.
“Don’t assume that the less fortunate will spend the money on cigarettes. I’m not saying that it doesn’t happen but there needs to be flexibility.
“Sometimes, if we set strict regulations, it causes difficulties for recipients because some of them have other needs and interests,” he added. — DayakDaily
