THE new government will continue the direct cash assistance programme of the previous administration,Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced today.

He said each household will receive RM300 and each single person, RM100 in aid.

Anwar did not state the income brackets of the aid recipients but said that about nine million people will benefit from the payout.

The cash assistance is among the initiatives the government is funding through a “mini budget”.

The spending plan includes RM108 billion drawn from the consolidated fund for the disbursement of emoluments and aid to the civil service, and RM56 billion from the development fund to pay for ongoing projects.

The plan was approved parliament this morning.

The small budget was passed today to pay the salaries of civil servants and other government operational expenditure until the national spending plan proper is approved.

Anwar said that 2023 budget is expected to be tabled in February.

Meanwhile, Anwar also announced RM150 in school aid to all children regardless of their economic backgrounds.
 
The money is for textbooks and school meals.

The prime minister also agreed to raise the salaries of civil servants in grades 11 to 56 by RM100 as proposed by the previous government.

Civil servants will also receive RM700 in special cash assistance while pensioners will get RM350.

The government will hand out RM200 in additional aid in January to rubber smallholders affected by the monsoon. About 320,000 rubber smallholders are due to received a combined payout of RM600 payout by the end of the year.

Anwar said 50,000 contract jobs will be created for the youth, including 35,000 positions in government-linked companies, through the MyStep programme.

He said the jobs will pay RM1,500-2,100 a month. – December 20, 2022.