KUCHING, August 27: Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) agrees with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s decision to reduce the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) payout and eventually wean receipients off it altogether.
Its deputy president, Capt (R) Engga Unchat, opined that BR1M was not a good system and that the people should stop believing that they were entitled to it without doing any work.
“What we need is a better approach to help the people to be independent. Solutions and new initiatives should be introduced by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government. It is useless if we can change the world but cannot change our own people’s mindset,” Engga said in a statement today.
Giving examples, Engga said instead of providing the people with fish, the government could provide fishing lines and training on how to fish.
“Another example is when you are a baby, your mother will carry you, but as you slowly grow up, you have to walk on your own. So, I fully agree with Dr Mahathir that BR1M should be reduced in stages before it comes to a complete stop,” he said.
Engga also advised the younger generations to be independent; otherwise, they would be left behind.
Recently, a news portal quoted Dr Mahathir as saying that Putrajaya would slowly reduce BR1M payouts before stopping altogether. There are approximately 7.2 million BR1M recipients in the country.
The news portal also quoted Dr Mahathir as blaming former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his administration for “spoiling” the people. — DayakDaily
