KOTA KINABALU, April 23 — The Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) recipients from the B40 group especially from rural areas in Sabah who do not have bank accounts or failed to be credited for some reasons are urged to claim the assistance through Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) counters in their respective districts.
Deputy Finance Minister I Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri said the claims can be made from April 17 until December 31, and the recipients only have to go to the BSN branch and present their MyKad and BPN registration number to get the assistance.
“However, it is advised that each recipient must practise the new normal protocol, that is, social distancing and wear face mask, besides maintaining their hygiene to avoid Covid-19 infections,” he said in a statement here, today.
He said for recipients among senior citizens, patients, persons with disabilities and those having problems to go to BSN themselves, can appoint representatives from among family members registered with the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) as the implementing agent.
Abdul Rahim said usually, the Cost of Living Aid (BSH) cash aid for those without bank accounts will be handled by the Treasury with the assistance of district offices through mass presentation but circumstances today do not allow that.
He said according to IRB, there are many who have not received their BSH cash aid, which reached almost 40 per cent, following the movement control order (MCO) enforcement.
“The ministry is aware of this difficulty and hopes BSH Phase II will be paid together with Phase III around the end of the year if the situation goes back to normal,” he said.
Meanwhile, Abdul Rahim said his ministry would discuss the issues relating to access to basic banking services such withdrawal facility, cash services and deposit particularly automatic cash withdrawal machines which have not been expanded to small districts in Sabah and Sarawak.
The ministry will discuss with Bank Negara as the regulator of banks in Malaysia to find an efficient solution on this matter.
“Even though BSN is understood to have appointed some agents in rural areas and small districts, the outsourcing service is not very effective in addressing this problem. Most of the agents being appointed do not function well and constitute retail shops,” he said.
It is time to recreate post office bank services which were in existence at one time but terminated following the corporatisation of BSN, he added. — Bernama
