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Najib: BR1M to continue as long as economy is strong BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

Najib: BR1M to continue as long as economy is strong

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 12:15 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday gave the assurance that the people would continue to get the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) for as long as the country's political stability and strong economic growth is maintained.

The prime minister said with economic growth, it would enable the government to implement development programmes and channel aid to the people.

Hence, he said, it was the priority of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to do its best in administering the country.

"Currently, BN is able to administer the country well, when other countries are facing problems, through policies which are strong and accelerate economic growth, although there are uncertainties in the world economy.

"But in Malaysia, we are able to determine our economy as well as accelerate its growth, and when the country's revenue increases, we distribute the wealth to the people," he said when launching the BR1M 2014 here yesterday.

Najib said the government had allocated RM4.6 billion for BR1M 2014 which would benefit 7.9 million recipients.

He hoped the increase in the value of BR1M could ease the people's burden, especially the urban residents.

The BR1M allowance to households with monthly income of RM3,000 and below has been increased from RM500 to RM700, including RM50 for contribution to the Group Takaful Rakyat 1Malaysia (i-BR1M) insurance which provides protection of up to RM30,000 in the event of death or permanent disability.

For single individuals aged 21 and above, and with a monthly income not exceeding RM2,000, the amount is increased from RM250 to RM300.

In addition, BR1M has been extended to households with a monthly income of between RM3,000 and RM4,000 and they will receive RM450.

The prime minister said that as a responsible government, it had to carry out fiscal consolidation to maintain the momentum of the country's economy and the people's well-being.

He said it had to be done in stages to ease the people's burden, besides having to convince the world market that efforts would continue to be made by the government to strengthen the country's fiscal position.

Najib said the improvements made to BR1M was in tandem with the implementation of the targeted subsidy in an effort to ease the people's burden.

"Therefore, the government will change the policy on subsidy, which is from bulk subsidy to targeted subsidy to ensure that the implementation of the subsidy is fair," he added.

The prime minister also said the government had fulfilled the promises it made in the last general election's manifesto, which among others, was to increase in stages the BR1M value.

The prime minister said implementation of bulk subsidy was seen as a wastage and leakage because those who were not eligible to benefit from it, like foreign tourists and workers, also enjoyed the facility.

"For example, the subsidy for RON95 petrol is 63 sen per litre. Imagine the difference between owners of low and high capacity vehicles if they get to enjoy the same petrol subsidy. It is not fair.

"So, the government decides to change the policy from bulk subsidy to targeted subsidy in stages and shift the savings to the people through BR1M. BR1M is an example of the targeted subsidy," he added.

Najib said BR1M 2014 was a manifestation of a good economic management by the government.

"The BR1M payment has been credited directly to the bank accounts of the recipients since yesterday. Those who do not have a bank account, they will receive the voucher, to be given in stages.

"This is because the people need the aid now and they need not have to wait long to enjoy aid from the government," he said.

He also said the BN government would always fulfill its election manifesto, including during the 13th general election to increase the value of BR1M to RM1,200 in five years.

"It will be increased in stages, meaning next year, the amount will increase," he added. — Bernama

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Mawan extends olive branch to G5

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 12:12 PM PST

Door opens for G5 to rejoin SPDP as party seeks to reconcile with rebel leaders

KUCHING: SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan said the Group of Five (G5) can apply to rejoin the party following recent calls by top Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders to reconcile.

Speaking to journalists here yesterday, Mawan, who is also Minister of Social Development, said he was all for letting "bygone be bygone" and to be forward looking in the interest of the party and the Barisan Nasional (BN).

"The chief minister has asked us to reunite and reconsolidate ourselves, and we are responding to that. We have to … there is no other way which we can go," he said after attending a function at Batu Lintang Teachers' Training College here.

Mawan said the party would "reconcile as far as we can".

When prodded whether that meant allowing the G5 back into the party, he quipped: "I guess so."

The G5 moniker refers to assemblypersons Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie (Tasik Biru), Datuk Sylvester Entrie Muran (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu), Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau) and former Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe.

Nansian is also Assistant Minister of Industrial Estate Development, Sylvester is Assistant Minister of Agriculture (Farmer's Organisation), while Rosey is Assistant Minister of Early Childhood Education and Family Development.

They were sacked from the party in November 2011 and January 2012 for gross insubordination, and are now partyless.

Mawan admitted SPDP had undergone "some hiccups, or you can call it a little bit of incidents in the party's disciplinary process" in the past that prompted action to be taken against those concerned.

"For certain members, we have sacked them. But there again, even sacked members still have the right reapply to join the party. I guess in our case, we shall try to reconcile.

"We even have members at grassroots who might not go alongside with us, who might go astray, not necessarily these five members. Even at Saratok, I have members who are fighting me, but I say please come around."

He thus called on party members to let bygone be bygone and to focus on how they could contribute to the party.

"Don't go back into the past, but move forward in tandem with the general development of the party. If we are united, we are okay and the trust and public confidence will be there.

"The reconciliation is somewhere there. It may not be taking a 100 per cent form. I believe the solution to our party is through reconciliation and we must go beyond our emotions and personal feelings. Efforts must be seen and done in the interest of BN solidarity."

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‘Seng’ and illegal tappers stay elusive in rubber estate

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 12:08 PM PST

SIBU: Police are looking for a local nicknamed 'Ah Seng' and his Indonesian workers who have been illegally tapping rubber off Chew Kung Road in Sungai Bidut.

This follows a police report lodged by the owner of the rubber estate, surnamed Yew, who claimed he had shooed 'Ah Seng' and the foreigners off his property but they refused to budge.

Yew, who is a businessman, said he bought the old seven-acre rubber estate last year and planned to turn it into a rubber processing mill.

He told police that when he asked 'Ah Seng' and his Indonesian workers to leave, 'Ah Seng' countered by offering to rent the land, but Yew turned him down. Fearing for his safety, he decided to lodge a police report.

Yesterday, a team of policemen including personnel from D4, D7 and K9 Unit, combed the rubber estate. They would make another sweep of the estate today.

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3 motorcycle theft suspects nabbed

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 12:08 PM PST

SARIKEI: Police here acting on a tip-off arrested three suspects believed to be involved in the a theft of a motorcycle which was reported stolen in November 2012.

The first suspect, a 28-year old local, was picked up at Taman Selera, Kampung Seberang here on Wednesday night, followed by the other two aged 20 and 17 in Taman Susur Jambu area the next day.

According to police prosecuting officer Inspector Anbarasu Gobi, who also led in the anti-crime operation, the magistrate's court had on Friday granted them four days to remand the suspects to help facilitate investigation.

The trio allegedly stole the motorcycle belonging to the district traffic police section parked underneath a police flat on the night of Nov 27, 2012.

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Unlicensed teen motorcyclist, girl pillion end up in drain

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 12:05 PM PST

MIRI: An unlicensed motorcyclist and her pillion rider, both 15, were injured after the motorcycle they were riding crashed into a drain in Senadin on Friday.

In the 6pm incident, the motorcyclist somehow lost control of the bike, which she had borrowed from her elder brother.

Both girls were flung off the motorcycle and landed in the concrete drain.

Passers-by who witnessed the incident immediately called for help.

The teens were later sent to Miri Hospital by ambulance.

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Body of fisherman who fell off boat found

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 12:05 PM PST

KOTA SAMARAHAN: The body of a fisherman reported to be missing since Thursday after falling off a boat in Muara Tebas was found here near Beliong area yesterday.

The body of Wahab Drahman, 38, from Beladin, was found by villagers at Sungai Sabang around 8am.

Kota Samarahan police chief DSP Lee Chong Chern said when contacted to confirm the find.

"The body has already been identified as Wahab Drahman by the deceased's family and he was reported to have fallen off a boat roughly 3 kilometres from Muara Tebas beach on Thursday," he said.

He added that the body of the deceased had been sent to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for an autopsy.

Wahab Drahman was reported to have fallen after the boat he had boarded with his friend was hit by waves in an incident that happened around 12pm on Thursday.

His friend was said to have tried to save the victim but failed and reported the incident to the authorities as soon as he could and according to the report, the search and rescue operation was carried out that day and continued until yesterday.

As many as 50 members from the Malaysian Maritime Authorities Agency, Police, Bomba, Rela and Malaysian Civil Defence Department were involved in the operation.

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