KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 ― The government has announced an allocation increment to its existing Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) to alleviate the burden faced by the people in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said today.

Tengku Zafrul said the government will continue to maintain and improve the aforementioned financial assistance in a more targeted manner.

For the year 2021, Tengku Zafrul said the government will replace the BSH with the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR), with higher rates of assistance and income categories.

"Households with monthly income of less than RM2,500 with one child will receive aid totalling RM1,200, while households with two children or more will receive aid totalling RM1,800.

"Households with monthly income of between RM2,501 and RM4,000 with one child will receive aid of up to RM800 while households with two children or more will receive aid totalling RM1,200,” he said.

He also said the government will assist families with monthly household income between RM4,001 to RM5,000 whereby those with up to one child will receive RM500 while households with two children or more will receive aid totalling RM750.

Under BPR, single adults earning RM2,500 and below will receive assistance of RM350, while the age limit eligibility for this group has been lowered to 21 years compared to 40 years previously.

"Overall, the BPR cash assistance is expected to benefit 8.1 million individuals with an allocation of RM6.5 billion, compared to 4.3 million beneficiaries with an allocation of RM5 billion prior to this under the BSH,” Tengku Zafrul added.

Separately, he also said the government was committed to safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable groups and has agreed to increase the monthly rate of financial assistance that would cost an allocation of RM2.2 billion or an additional RM700 million from the previous year.

"First, the rate for financial assistance for persons with disabilities (OKU) who are incapable of work is increased from RM250 to RM300.

"Second, the rate for financial assistance for older persons, carers of bed-ridden disabled persons (OKU) and chronically ill patients is increased from RM350 to RM500.

"Third, the rate for incentive allowance for disabled workers is increased from RM400 to RM450.

"Fourth, the rate for financial assistance for children is increased from RM100 ringgit per child with a maximum of RM450 per family, to RM150 per child aged seven years to 18 years or RM200 per child aged six years and below with a maximum of RM1,000 ringgit per family,” he said, adding more than 400,000 beneficiaries stand to benefit from the increment.