KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — The Armed Forces may not have the funds to dole out assistance to 70,000 veterans believed to be living below the poverty line, as uncertainty engulf the status of the Bantuan Bakti Negara (BBN) programme.
A source in the Armed Forces Veterans Welfare Department (JHEV) told Malay Mail that no allocation was made for the 2018 BBN payment, fuelling speculation that the government had blocked the yearly one-off cash assistance programme rolled out by the Najib administration.
The same source said the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT), which oversees the fund disbursement, has so far kept mum about the status of last year’s payment, amid talks that the Pakatan Harapan administration could slam the brakes on the programme.
“By right they should be issuing a statement about it, but so far we’ve not heard anything,” the source said.
“We don’t know if BBN is still running or not.”
The BBN was introduced during former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s rule following gripes that Armed Forces veterans, especially those without pension, were mostly living in destitute. Najib and the Barisan Nasional government were ousted in the general election last May.
Eligible recipients, households with income less than RM3,000, received a one-off payment of RM1,000 in the 2016. The LTAT increased the payment to RM1,200 the subsequent year.
JHEV said up to 70,000 veterans were eligible for the assistance.
Two days ago news portal Free Malaysia Today reported complaints by recipients that they have yet to receive the 2018 BBN payment, usually deposited at the end of the year.
This prompted accusations that the PH administration had axed the programme at the expense of poor veterans.
In response, JHEV said in a statement issued yesterday that the fund for BBN came from proceeds of a land sale originally intended for infrastructure upgrade works.
JHEV then said for 2018 and 2019, the remaining RM53 million that was collected from the sale would be used to repair and upgrade existing camps.
It did not state clearly if last year’s BBN payments would still be disbursed, but instead said the Armed Forces are looking at other options to assist veterans.
“The allocation for BBN which was RM53 million was actually proceeds from a land sale meant for upgrade work,” JHEV director Major General Datuk Dzulkarnain Ahmad said in a statement.
“This (using it for BBN) had caused delays in the work. Therefor for 2018 and 2019 priority will be given to upgrading existing ATM camps.
“However, we are sensitive to the problems faced by veterans without pension and we are looking at alternatives to help ease cost of living burden,”
Malay Mail was made to understand that the land sale proceed was intended for investment, and dividends from the venture would be used to sustain the BBN.
LTAT was tasked to oversee the process, a source said.
“Now that there is a new government we don’t know the status of the investment, if they would still continue with it,” the source told Malay Mail.
The Ministry of Defence said it would not comment on the matter for now.
LTAT was also not reachable for comment.
