SEVEN million recipients of Putrajaya’s cash aid, 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M), will receive the first  payout for 2018 in their bank accounts from today.

What BR1M recipients do with the money varies, depending on whether they are single or have dependents, as well as the size of their households, what their needs are and whether they receive other support from welfare, pensions or their working children.

Most recipients considered the cash helpful or regarded it as a bonus, The Malaysian Insight found from a straw poll of recipients across the country.

But they also said the money did not address the long-term problem of coping with the rising cost of living.

The one-off payment will be used to pay certain bills or festive season shopping. Parents tend to prioritise their children’s needs first. 

Otherwise, many said the money would typically go towards groceries and daily needs, with very few using it to enjoy themselves.

A few in dire straits said it helped them to survive and wished the amount were larger.

Some of those surveyed were nonchalant about whether they could survive with or without BR1M, describing the amount and staggered payout schedule as “negligible” in helping their expenses. 

But as one housewife said, “if someone is going to give you money, of course you’ll take it”.

The RM6.8 billion programme for lower-earning households will be paid out in two more tranches in June and August.

The amount of BR1M this year will be the same as last year’s, the first time it has not been increased since its introduction in 2012 at RM500 for households earning less than RM3,000 a month.

Since then, the brainchild of Prime Minister Najib Razak has been tweaked to cover individuals earning RM2,000 or less a month (one off payment of RM450), households earning between RM3,001 and RM4,000 (RM900 a year) and households earning RM3,000 and below (RM1,200).

BR1M has been criticised by the opposition and its leader, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, as a ploy to buy support for the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. Dr Mahathir, who heads Pakatan Harapan, has often used the term “cash is king” against his former protege, Najib.

* Noriah Mahmud, 53, trader, Tumpat, Kelantan. Earns less than RM3,000 a month for a household of four.

“BR1M is used to buy basic food items like sugar, flour and cooking oil. It helps a bit in buying food and supplies for the kitchen, but it will all be used up in a week.”

* Azizah Mohamad, 50, fruit seller, Tumpat, Kelantan. Earns less than RM3,000 a month for a household of seven people and said it is difficult to even make RM200 a day on some days.

“I use the money for all sorts of things depending on what I need at the time – as capital for my business, to pay school fees, to buy food and basic necessities.

“But it’s all gone in three to four days.”

* Wan Mahesham Wan Mahmud, 37, Pasir Puteh, Kelantan. Earns less than RM3,000 a month as an odd-job worker.

“I get RM1,200 in total and the payouts are used for daily necessities and to take the family out for a meal.

“BR1M helps a bit but it would be better if the amount was more as things are expensive now.”

* Mohamad Sayuti Ayob, 31, single, Tumpat, Kelantan. Unstable income as he does odd-job.

“The money goes straight towards groceries.”

* Mohd Afiq Abdul Khalid (pic, left), 26, safety supervisor in a factory in the Gebeng industrial Park, Tanah Putih, Kuantan, Pahang. Earns more than RM3,000 a month and is single.

“My monthly expenses come to about RM1,500 to RM1,700 and include my car loan instalment and PTPTN (National Higher Education Fund) loan. I’m able to save a few hundred a month.

“BR1M is not critical for me but since I qualify for it, I applied.

“I haven’t decided if I will use the payout for anything specific, probably just for petrol or daily food expenses.”

* Nasree Ismail, 30, postman, Kuala Lumpur. Earns RM1,200 a month for a three-person household, which includes his wife and a two-year-old son.

“When I get a BR1M payout, I use it to buy necessities to stock up the kitchen and Pampers for my child. The money helps lighten our burden for just that month. The other months of the year… it’s all the same. There are times when our spending exceeds our budget. 

“So yes, you could say BR1M is helpful. When I stock up on necessities, they can last till up to two months. Then we may be able to buy a pair of new shoes or clothes for our child.”

* Tajul Ariffin Mohd Tahir, 54, senior postman, Kuala Lumpur. Earns RM2,200 a month for a three-person household which includes his wife and 11-year old daughter.

“How I spend the money will depend on when we receive it. If it is early in the year like February, it will be used to settle my child’s school affairs, like tuition fees (RM140), parent-teacher association fees (RM90), prefect fees (RM50) and religious school fees (RM50).

“So what else is left? If you want to say it has been very helpful, I can’t really say that either, except for the months when we have more expenses, like in the early part of the year and when it’s near Hari Raya.”

* Danial Syukri, 25, company executive, Selangor. Earns RM1,950, is single and lives with his family in a household of four.

“I use my one-off BR1M money for entertainment, like hanging out with my friends or eating out at expensive restaurants like The Manhattan Fish Market – places that I don’t usually go to. 

“I don’t really have to support anyone, I’m living with my father and my siblings and I’m not married. So, BR1M is just like a bonus for me.

“My salary so far is enough for everything that I need, I have monthly savings, so the extra money from BR1M will be spent on things that I don’t get to spend on a daily basis.

“If I don’t get the payment, I still can go out with my friends but I have to watch my spending and the places that I go to. The extra money basically allows me to eat out more often.

* Poni Abu Bakar (pic, right), 76, widow with no income, Miri, Sarawak. She lives with her son who gives her some money, daughter-in-law, four grandchildren and her son’s mother-in-law.

“My son gives me pocket money every month but not up to RM200. So BR1M is like extra welcomed pocket money. I’m going to spend it on myself, like going out with friends for coffee, and on my grandchildren, too.

“I would say, yes, BR1M has been helpful. But then again, how much can you buy with a few hundred these days? Things are so expensive.”

* Nor Farah Wahida Adnan, 35, administrative assistant, Selangor. Earns RM1,000 a month and lives in a six-person household, four of whom are children.

“BR1M money is used to pay road tax or to service our car. We have set aside some amount for groceries, so the BR1M money will be used for our car. We renew our road tax in June, so we just save the money that we get in February for that purpose. 

“If we don’t get BR1M, we just have to use our own savings to pay for road tax and to service our car.

“Is it helpful? I don’t really feel the difference because we are getting the money in stages.”

* Dalia Tahir, 51, widow and housewife, Selangor. Her three-person household includes an adult daughter and son; earns RM2,000 a month.

“The BR1M money is spent on household necessities, such as food and produce and supplies like soap and detergent. I can’t say it helps a lot because as it is, our family spending on necessities is already RM500 a month.

“Well, maybe it helps a bit but things won’t be much different if I didn’t receive BR1M. But if someone is going to give you money, who wouldn’t take it?”

* Hilda John (pic, left), 45, housewife, Kuching, Sarawak. Lives with a teenager daughter and a husband who is paralysed from the waist down. The family depends on welfare.

“The BR1M money will be used to pay bills. There will be nothing left for anything else. I wish the payments are not staggered.”

* Mohamad Abdullah, 57, Felda settler, Felda Tembangau 1, Pahang. 

“The BR1M money is mixed up in my bank account with my earnings from palm oil. But everything goes towards food supplies. I don’t feel that it makes a lot of difference because the amount is small.”

* Amri Abdul Halim, 23, works and studies part time, Air Putih, Kuantan, Pahang.

“It depends on what my expenses are at that point in time. Last year, when the BR1M money came, I used it to buy necessities and also to top up my pre-paid mobile phone card. I’ve used the money before to buy phone accessories or for materials for my assignments and studies.”

* Azlan Jamhari, 40, roadside pisang goreng seller, Bentong, Pahang. He has three school-going children.

“I get RM1,200 in BR1M in one year and yes, it is helpful, but the payouts don’t help in the long run. The money works out to RM100 per month. I give each child RM3 for pocket money each day, and there you go, all the money is gone.

“If the government wants to help address the rising cost of living, do something about the price of petrol, the price of raw ingredients like bananas, the flour.

“Before I opened my stall here, I used to own a retail/fabric business, then the goods and services tax (GST) was implemented and my business just went down and down and I had to end it.

“I don’t know what I would do if there were no BR1M, but even with it there is not much difference because the root of the problem is still here.”

* Razaki Yusof (pic, right), 56, odd-job worker in Kg Tanjung Lumpur, Kuantan, Pahang. Earns an irregular income to support his wife who does not work and one child who just completed Form Five. Five other grown-up children are working and provide a monthly allowance.

“I give my BR1M money to my wife and she uses it to buy food. The money relieves our financial burden but it’s not enough. We have to rely on our working children.”

* Ghani, 65, retired civil servant with the Defence Ministry, Kuantan. Lives with his wife and receives RM2,000 a month from his pension while his wife, also an ex-civil servant, receives RM1,500 a month.

“I plan to use BR1M to pay the electricity, gas and water bills. Everything is so expensive these days. In the months I don’t get BR1M, we will just tighten our belts and cut down on food expenses.”

* E.K. Low, 55, clerk from Air Itam, Penang. Earns RM1,500 a month and is the sole provider for a family of five, including three children.

“Since the new school year just started, I will spend the first BR1M payment on school and revision books for my kids. The books will cost me a few hundred. They are not cheap, especially secondary school books for my two older kids.

“Our kids have to study on their own as we cannot afford tuition. My wife is a homemaker. She runs the house and helps the children with their studies and homework.

“Since Chinese New Year is coming, I think some of the BR1M money will be spent on what we need for the festivities. 

“I don’t think I can put away the money for emergencies. I think few can during times like this.”

* K. Murulitharan, 36, Padang Tembak, Penang. Unemployed since a workplace accident five years ago. His wife, a factory operator, earns RM1,300 a month and supports their household of three, which includes their five-year-old daughter.

“The BR1M will be for my daughter. Her needs come first. The money will pay for her kindergarten fee, which is RM150 a month, and for her milk and nappies. We’ve had no success in toilet training her yet. 

“The rest we will use for the household. It won’t be enough with the cost of living today. RM10 is hardly enough for a day’s meal now. Milk powder for my daughter costs RM46 a tin.

“My wife earns very little. I have my Socso claims. We try to make the money stretch, but with BR1M, we can set the money aside for our child.”

* Norma Hashim, 59, nasi lemak and snack seller in Komtar, George Town, Penang. No fixed income but she can sometimes earn about RM1,000 a month to support a family of six who include her husband, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

“The BR1M money paid in stages is a small amount. RM400 will be gone in a day. It would be so much better if we get (the whole sum) in one go, or if the government can afford to give more. 

“But it still helps a little since the cost of living is high now. Food stuff is getting expensive. Onions have gone up from RM2 to almost RM5. Cooking oil is also more expensive now. 

“I will use the money to buy what I need for my business as extra capital. Maybe I can buy new cooking utensils to replace the old ones. Without the money, I have to hold back on these purchases.” 

* Safrina Irda Sahruddin, 35, housewife with four children, Kampar, Perak. Supported by her husband who works as a lorry driver and earns less than RM2,000 a month.

”The BR1M money is always used to buy groceries and for the children’s school needs. I give each child RM5 for school. And school is far away from our kampung in Kampar. My children are in both morning and afternoon school, so I have to go back and forth several times a day on our motorbike.

“BR1M has been helpful for the children’s needs. At least my husband isn’t so worn out having to work longer hours to earn more money.

“I do hope whoever wins the general election, whether it is Pakatan (Harapan) or BN, that BR1M will be continued because people like us need it.”

* Abdul Rahman Najib, 40, shop assistant and his wife, Siti Rahimah, 35, stall operator, Petagas. Sabah. Their monthly household income is around RM950.

“The BR1M money will not last more than a month. Most of it will be for two months’ worth of groceries. There is nothing much to do with that kind of money here. 

“Things are expensive in Kota Kinabalu. I still have to work hard to get by. Luckily, my wife can look after the kids while keeping the stall open. 

“My son in standard five asked us not to buy him a new school bag. But I probably need to buy him new shoes next month, as his old ones are wearing out. So BR1M will probably go towards the shoes.”

* Iskandar Rejab, 43, contract worker, Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu. His wife Noorfadzilah Ahmad, 40, is a business executive. Their household income of RM2,800 supports them and their two boys.

“Since we’ve settled much of the children’s schooling needs, we will use the cash to cover some outstanding debts, a personal loan of about RM200. The balance will be used to take the out the kids for KFC or a treat later.”

* Jason Marcus, 36, security guard, Inanam, Sabah. His household income of RM2,000 supports his wife Theresa John, 32, and their four children.

“The BR1M is not much. I’ll probably take the whole family out and spend it. Eating out for all of us will be RM100, petrol RM50, which could last me up to three days, snacks for the children (RM50) and a few other things. 

“I think the government should provide the cash at year-end when parents really need the money to buy school items.”

* Chng Lee Tiang (pic, right), 56, works in a nursing home for the elderly, Seremban, Negri Sembilan. Her household income, including her husband who is a freelance mechanic and plumber, is less than RM3,000.

“I will just keep the BR1M money in the bank. I only take it out and use it when necessary, or else it’s better to save. Since Chinese New Year is coming, we’ll use it to buy decorations, biscuits and meals.

“If there isn’t BR1M, we will spend less. We pay our taxes, so it’s nice to have pocket money, that the government pays back. Things have become much more expensive over the years, we really feel the pinch, so it is not right to say that the money doesn’t matter, it does help us. But we don’t exactly need it in the sense that we depend on it to live.”

* Hairani Halim, 57, housewife, Masjid Tanah, Malacca. She is supported by her husband’s pension and receives money from her children and from the Welfare Department after losing her job as a goreng pisang seller and thumbs to chronic diabetes.

“My children give me RM500 a month. I get RM300 from welfare. So, the BR1M money helps me buy food supplies.

“Things in Malacca, even in the market, are no longer cheap. So you have to be wise when spending. Thankfully, my husband gets a pension.

“But I would still be okay without BR1M because my children give me money. When there is BR1M money, I can cook some nicer dishes. Fish now is terribly expensive.”

* Rozita Mohamad, 43, widow, Kg Gelugor, Kuala Terengganu. She earns RM1,500 a month making and selling cakes to support four children. She gets some financial help from her brother and sister.

“The last BR1M payout of RM400 I received, I used RM300 to pay for my 14-year-old son’s tahfiz school fees. I used the balance on foodstuff.

“For this February payout, I’m thinking of saving it for my daughter’s wedding in March.”

* Imah Mohamad, 32, housewife, Kuala Terengganu. She and her three children aged five, three and one, are supported by her husband, a bus driver who earns RM2,000 a month.

“I’ve always used BR1M money for groceries. But this time, I plan to use it for the outstanding amount on our electricity bill which comes up to RM300. We couldn’t afford to pay the bills on time.

“Whatever is left, I will use it for food for the family.” – February 1, 2018.