ISKANDAR PUTERI, May 4 — Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the state government has allocated RM138 million for the fourth phase of the Bantuan Kasih Johor (BKJ) welfare programme.

He said the latest phase of the BKJ is expected to benefit more than 600,000 people throughout the state. 

“The implementation of the fourth phase of BKJ is based on the comprehensive feedback from recipients throughout the implementation of the previous phases of the programme,” he told the Johor state legislative assembly at the Bangunan Sultan Ismail in Kota Iskandar here today.

Based on feedback from the people, Onn Hafiz said the state government has improved the latest phase to allow more Johoreans to directly benefit.

He said that a total of 22 initiatives were introduced under the fourth phase of the BKJ, covering various levels of society including older Malaysians, housewives, young couples, small traders, people with disabilities (PwD), orphans as well as community volunteers.

“Among the main initiatives are cash assistance of RM200 to more than 307,000 senior citizens, RM200 to 136,000 unemployed housewives and RM400 to 45,000 newly married couples.

“In addition, a RM300 assistance will also be distributed to nearly 30,000 registered hawkers and small traders to support their economic survival,” he said.

The BKJ’s fourth phase will see assistance being extended to larger target groups that will include disabled students, orphans, and impoverished heads of households, school bus and van drivers, welfare aid recipients, mosque and surau committees and religious officials. 

In addition, frontline workers such as security guards and hospital and religious facility cleaners, as well as homestay operators, grave digger volunteers, youth associations and state sports associations will receive benefits under the new phase.

Onn Hafiz, who is also the Johor Natural Resources, Administration, Finance, Planning, Economic Development and Tourism Committee chairman, said that each BKJ initiative was designed with the aim of strengthening the social networks in the state so that no one was left out.

“The state government is committed to ensuring that every increase in revenue is returned to the people through high-impact initiatives that are truly felt by Johoreans,” he said. 

Onn Hafiz said the state government would continue to improve this initiative from time-to-time, in line with state’s fiscal capacity. 

He added that if the state’s revenue continues to increase, the state government will similarly increase the assistance to benefit the people.