A TOTAL of RM718 million in Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM) has been approved for almost 796,000 residents in Sabah so far and the total does not include appeals, Deputy Works Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup said.

The Pensiangan MP said from the total, RM2.23 million has been allocated for 9,036 BKM recipients in the Pensiangan parliamentary constituency.

He said RM525,000 is allocated to BKM recipients without bank accounts in Nabawan district where they received the aid in a promotion programme at Mobile Community Services (MCS), Pensiangan today.

“The number of BKM recipients with no bank accounts has been dropping each year. This shows better banking access through the BSN mobile service in Nabawan and Sook as well as three automated teller machines in Sook, while Nabawan residents are starting to be more financially literate as many BKM recipients have started to open savings accounts.

“BKM is a direct cash aid initiative to assist those in need to recover their livelihoods post-pandemic and to lighten the cost of living,” he said in a statement in conjunction with the MCS programme in Nabawan today.

On the programme, Arthur said the three-day event starting today to tour Nabawan and Pagalungan succeeded in bringing 41 government agencies to offer various services to the people in the interior.

He said among the services provided are Finance Ministry licence registration, construction industry exhibition, welfare services and programmes for the benefit of the people. – Bernama, August 13, 2022.