PUTRAJAYA will dish out more aid if the prices of goods continue to rise, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

He said his administration had given RM2,600 cash aid a year for those in the B40 category through the Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM) scheme, higher than the previous government.

“The previous governments have never given more than RM2,000 but we are giving RM2,600.

“If the prices of goods rise further, we still have phases 3 and 4 (of BKM), so maybe we can add more (assistance) for the sake of the people,” he said at a Keluarga Malaysia event in Pasir Salak, Perak, today.

Keluarga Malaysia is the branding Ismail has given his administration since taking office in August last year.

The Umno vice-president is currently under pressure from his party to hold a snap general election instead of waiting till the term expires in July next year.

The RM2,600 aid under the current BKM phase includes an additional RM100 Ismail announced last week as public anger mounted over the rising cost of goods after the government raised the ceiling price of chicken and eggs, and removed subsidies for bottled palm oil cooking oil.

Ismail said the government wanted to reduce its subsidy bill as foreigners, too, were enjoying the subsidies, which are meant for Malaysians.

“To avoid this subsidy leakage, we can give more aid to needy Malaysians through BKM,” he said.

He said the opposition’s claims that the government wasn’t doing anything to help the people is untrue.

He was referring to a demonstration by opposition parties in Kg Baru last Friday to protest the government’s handling of rising prices.

Student groups also held a peaceful protest over the weekend, calling for salary cuts for ministers and the funds channelled to help them people. – July 3, 2022.