PAKATAN Harapan’s maiden budget has been given the thumbs up by low-income earners who said the goodies laid out will help them cope with rising cost of living better.

Faiz Omar, 34, and Azmah Ahmad, 53, said the government has shown it is serious in wanting to help the B40 group by giving out incentives and putting in place a health insurance scheme.

“We need to empower our schools and by empowering our schools our children can have a better education.

“I think that the B40 will definitely benefit from it. But, there’s a question (as always) on the implementation. For example the targeted fuel subsidy for owners with one car, how are they going to implement the subsidy at the petrol kiosks? Do they have to reprogramme all the pump kiosks to recognise a certain card? Or is it a system for them to claim back at the end of every month?”

Retiree Salmah Shaari said although she would receive a smaller sum of money than she would under the Barisan Nasional’s BR1M scheme, she was still happy with the RM1,000 she would get under PH’s Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) scheme.

“Although I received RM1,200 from BR1M and will be receiving only RM1,000 next year, I don’t mind that because I understand that our country is trying to pay the country’s debt,” said Salmah, who earns RM1,500 a month.

Housewife Wan Nurul Aina Wan Kamal, 24, was delighted with the government’s decision to allocate RM45 million for the Housewives’ Employees Provident Fund scheme, or i-Suri.

“This is the first time that such an allocation is being given to housewives. This is a good start and it shows that the government is not neglecting mothers,” she said.

The mother of one added that the BSH would help many families regardless of the amount of money given.

“BSH or BRIM, no matter how much was given to the people it will still help many families out there.

“It shows the commitment by the government to take care of its people,” she said.

Daljit Singh, 61, who runs a restaurant, wanted to know how the tax on sugary drinks worked.

“Now the sugary drinks are going to be taxed, who is going to absorb the cost? Is it going to be consumer or the manufacturer?” he asked.

Thiban Sundram, 34, said he hopes details of how the new petrol subsidy works will be made known soon.

“How will the subsidy be disbursed to us. Do we have to apply for it and if so how do we go about it?” asked Thiban who works in a water treatment plant. – November 2, 2018.