CALL TO DISTRUBUTE BR1M THROUGH LONGHOUSE CHIEFS

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- Some elected Barisan Nasional (BN)

representatives and community leaders in rural Sarawak have called on the

authorities to come up with a better system for the distribution of the

1Malaysia People’s Assistance (BR1M) to make it easier for the recipients.

They have suggested, among others, that the disbursement be made in cash

through the village security and development committees in the presence of

district officers.

This would enable the village chief or the longhouse chief to distribute the

money to recipients in their respective longhouse or village after collecting

the handouts from the authorities.

This would help a lot as the recipients, particularly those staying in the

rural areas, could save on travel and food costs to get to the nearest town to

check on their status as well as to receive their payment.

“The applicants in urban areas have no problem coming to check their status

two or three times, but it is a huge problem for rural people as they have to

bear high transportation cost. Imagine those who have to come to town using

longboats or rented cars," said Tamin assemblyman Joseph Mauh when contacted by

Bernama today.

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He said this would also be less burdensome, especially to those above 60 who

would not be fit enough to queue up under the scorching sun to get their payment

vouchers as well as solve the problem of the illiterate who will be unable to

check their names.

Local Councillor Stephen Chendang from Kanowit said the distribution of BR1M

through the penghulus and longhouse chiefs from the respective district offices

was the best way out.

“What they should do is to send the list of successful applicants to the

penghulus who can distribute the list to longhouse chiefs under their

jurisdiction. This means the recipients do not have to come to town,” he said.

Some applicants interviewed by local newspaper, Borneo Post, also

complained that they have to travel a few times just to check whether their

applications have been approved and this inconvenienced them.

One of them, Betun Beluko, 66, from Ulu Durin said she had come to town

twice since the BR1M recipients were announced on Jan 15 just to check her

status and had to wait in a long queue to take her voucher.

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“I had to leave my half paralysed husband at home,” she lamented as quoted

by the newspaper.

However, the authorities in the state explained that many applicants rushed

to the district office to check their application status due to poor

understanding of the correct procedure to check and claim their vouchers.

The BR1M disbursement in most areas in Sarawak is coordinated by the

respective district office.

As pointed out by Miri Resident Antonio Kahti Galis, once given the list of

successful applicants by the Ministry of Finance, the district office staff

would contact the applicants concerned to collect their vouchers from the

district offices or during special events to present the payment vouchers.

“However, because many are excited to know their status, they can''t wait and

come in big numbers to check their status," he was quoted as saying by the local

daily.

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AT MNY MGN