KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — The government’s targeted subsidy, 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) will remain at RM1,200 per household, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today.

When tabling the National Budget 2018 at the Dewan Rakyat, he said that the government allocated RM6.8 billion for BR1M this year, the same as last year.

“Since BR1M was introduced many Malaysians have gratefully received the assistance. It is obvious that this targeted subsidy is successful.

“If seven million Malaysians have benefited from BR1M this year with an allocation of RM6.8 billion, the same seven million will enjoy BR1M’s maximum benefit at RM1,200 (per household),” said Najib.

BR1M, which is Najib’s brainchild, first disbursed RM2.6 billion for 5.2 million Malaysia households in 2012, with each household receiving a targeted subsidy of RM500.

Budget 2013 saw the financial aid remaining at RM500 per household, but youths aged 21 and above who earned RM2,000 or less also became recipients of RM250 each.

In 2014, the allocation was increased to RM650 for each household earning RM3,000 or less while youths aged 21 and above with an income below RM2,000, received RM300. That year also saw households earning RM3,000 to RM4,000 receive financial assistance of RM450.

The government continued to increase BR1M payouts in 2015 to RM950 from RM650, disbursed in three instalments of RM300 each in January and May, with the RM350 balanced paid in September that year.

For households with a monthly income between RM3,001 and RM4,000, the government increased BR1M from RM450 to RM750.

The government further increased the allocation in 2016 to RM1,000 from RM950 for households earning RM3,000 or below. Those with the income bracket between RM3,001 to RM4,000 also benefited from an increase to RM800 from RM750.

Bachelors aged 21 and above with an income of RM2,000 and below also enjoyed a slight increase to RM400 from RM350. In total, 2016 Budget saw the government allocating RM5.9 billion for the targeted subsidy.

Last year’s budget saw Najib increasing the monetary aid to RM1,200 from RM1,000 for households earning RM3,000 and below per month. For households earning RM3,000 to RM4,000 monthly, BR1M was raised from RM800 to RM900.

BR1M was also raised for single individuals earning RM2,000 and below a month, from RM400 to RM450.