Tuesday, April 9, 2013

BR1M the result of steady economy

THE Barisan Nasional Government will be able to gradually increase the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) from RM500 to RM1,200 as well as other monetary aid for the people as the country’s economic development is on the right track.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the increase was made based on facts and figures.
The Government started giving the RM500 through BRIM 1.0 last year when the country’s economic growth was 5.6%, he said.
This, he added, was followed by BRIM 2.0 this year as the country’s economic growth had been projected to be between 5.5% and 6% this year.
“The country’s projected annual economic growth is around 6% as the nation moves towards attaining a developed and high-income status by 2020,” he said.
Dr Chua, who is also a member of the National Economic Council chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, said the Barisan manifesto was a realistic and pragmatic one.
“It is proof of the Prime Minister’s 1Malaysia concept, where all Malaysians come first and the country’s economy is performance driven,” Dr Chua said during a dinner at the hall of SJK(C) Phui Ying’s old pupils’ association in Simpang Pulai, near Ipoh, on Sunday.
Apart from gradually raising the amount under BR1M from RM500 to RM1,200 for households earning below RM3,000 a month, the manifesto also stated that the amount for single people in the same income bracket would be increased gradually from the current RM250 to RM600.
Dr Chua said the Government needed a strong mandate from the people to continue with the various transformation programmes, such as the Economic Transformation Pro-grammes, which had already shown good results.
“Any political uncertainty can affect investors’ confidence and this can disrupt the economy,” he said.
Dr Chua said the country’s racial harmony and peace — the basis of political stability — since independence must never be taken for granted.
He added that the people continued to live in peace and the country had progressed over the decades despite Barisan not being a 100% perfect coalition.
Earlier, Dr Chua visited the Ampang Baharu New Village, near Ipoh, and announced an allocation of RM200,000 for the construction of a roof over the village’s basketball court.
He also gave RM10,000 to the village’s Line Dancing Association to allow members to get new uniforms.

No comments: