2,711 Penangites among the first to receive BR1M benefit - The Star

BUTTERWORTH: After a torrent of misfortunes, 67-year-old matriarch Lalitha Arumugam received a small respite with the RM500 voucher under the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) scheme.

Her 75-year-old husband C. Krishnan, a former Telekom employee who was diagnosed with abdominal tumour, died in August last year, while her son Kaliappan, 46, a clerk with Universiti Sains Malaysia, died of liver cirrhosis 13 days later.

Kaliappan's wife, S. Shanti, 46, a factory production operator, recently fractured her leg and shoulder in an accident while travelling to her workplace.

Lalitha's daughter Kanchana, 45, a clinic assistant, was widowed five years ago when her husband, M. Nagarethinam, then 43, an ambulance driver, died from brain haemorrhage after a fall while helping to clean a temple.

Cash assistance: People lining up to receive the RM500 vouchers at SK Bukit Gelugor, Penang yesterday. (Inset) The recipients crowding the counters set up to get the BR1M vouchers at Dewan Seri Amar, Chukai in Kemaman, Terengganu yesterday. — Bernama

Shanti has three children aged between 13 and 22, and Kanchana has three, aged between 12 and 19.

Lalitha said three of her grandchildren were pursuing diploma courses at Politeknik Seberang Prai, while her remaining grandchildren were still schooling.

“Together, we try to make ends meet,” she said after receiving the RM500 voucher from Barisan Nasional's Bagan parliamentary constituency co-ordinator David Chua under the BR1M scheme at SJK Sungai Puyu here yesterday.

“I am thankful to the Federal Government for giving us the money, which is useful to buy grocery supplies for the next few months.”

Lalitha was among 2,711 residents from the constituency, who received their vouchers yesterday.

Pasir Penambang resident Tan Siew Lan is elated after receiving her RM500 under the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia scheme at the SKJC Khai Tee school hall in Pasir Penambang, near Kuala Selangor, yesterday. The handing over of the money to households earning RM3,000 and below a month began nationwide yesterday

She and others under the scheme were among the first to receive the vouchers, which could be cashed out at Inland Revenue Board offices.

Penang Umno chief Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman said 44,830 people in Penang were receiving their vouchers from Saturday till Thursday.

The RM500 is a one-off payment for households with incomes below RM3,000.

Meanwhile in PERAK, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said more than 50% of 4.1 million BR1M applicants began receiving their assistance yesterday, Bernama reported

He said the aid would be distributed to the first group of recipients, even though the Government had extended the deadline for applications to Feb 10.