KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — The Ministry of Finance has approved up to 8.3 million applications for the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) aid up until two days ago, with RM4.9 billion having already been disbursed to over six million recipients.

The BPN programme was among six key measures from the RM260 billion Prihatin stimulus package already in the implementation stage, its minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz said in a recorded message broadcasted on his Facebook page.

The measures account for RM180 billion or 69 per cent of the total package.

“This RM260 billion package is among the biggest in the world and is intended to leave no person behind,” the minister said.

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Under the BPN programme, low- and middle-income households and unmarried single workers will receive a one-off direct cash assistance worth RM500 to RM1,600, as part of a rescue package for vulnerable groups affected by the Covid-19 pandemic fallout.

The programme will cost the government over RM9 billion. The first tranche of payment, totalling RM5.63 billion, will be paid out this month with the rest to follow in May.

Zafrul said today close to three million applications have been made on top of the 8.3 million already eligible for the assistance, with 274,000 more whose appeals are pending approval.

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“For new applicants and those appealing, we will decide by May pending LHDN (Inland Revenue Board) verification,” the minister said.

Between April 6 and 12, 3.2 million households and 3.4 million single individuals from the bottom 40 per cent income quintile have received their BPN money totalling RM4.9 billion, or over half of the total allocation.

Some 1.5 million recipients from the middle 40 per cent income quintile are expected to have the money deposited into their accounts from now until tomorrow, Zafrul added.

Meanwhile, a total of RM20 million in cash aid had been disbursed to 33,000 cab drivers, tourist guides and trishaw operators, the minister said. The transport and tourism sectors are among the hardest hit by Covid-19.