A TOTAL of 274,639 smallholders will receive RM600 monsoon aid each, thanks to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s insistence and concerns for their plight, said Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali today.

“Dr Mahathir is concerned about the hardship faced by rubber tappers and smallholders.

“Even though the government is facing financial constraints, the prime minister stressed that the agenda to help low-income earners, particularly rubber tappers and smallholders, should be prioritised by the relevant ministries,” Azmin said in a statement.

He said this after announcing that his ministry will oversee the RM165 million allocated to Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) farmers whose incomes are affected by the monsoon season.

More than 274,000 smallholder registered with Risda will receive the monsoon aid, he said.

RM600 would be paid out in two instalments to each smallholder.

The first RM300 would be paid by year-end, with the other half early next year.

“The difficulties of the Risda smallholders have gotten the attention and the concern of Dr Mahathir, who approved this monsoon season aid (BMT),” he said.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng announced the allocation yesterday, saying that the cabinet approved his ministry’s recommendations on December 12. – December 22, 2018.