Last week, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the government will be giving out Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) financial aid to B40 and M40 Malaysians. The Ministry of Finance has since provided some further clarification on how the one-off payment will be disbursed.
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the BPN aid and how to obtain it.
Am I eligible for Bantuan Prihatin Nasional?
According to LHDN, Malaysians will be notified via SMS or email regarding their eligibility for the BPN financial aid, starting in stages from 1 April. If you have received that SMS or email, you do not need to carry out any further checks regarding your eligibility with LHDN.
The BPN aid is offered to these eligible categories below:
| Eligible category | Amount of cash aid | Expected recipients | Payment schedule |
| Households earning RM4,000 and below
|
RM1,600 | Up to 4 million households | Payment of RM1,000 in April and RM600 in May |
| Households earning RM4,001 – RM8,000 | RM1,000 | Up to 1.1 million households | Payment of RM500 in April and RM500 in May |
| Single individuals aged 21 years and above earning RM2,000 and below | RM800 | Up to 3 million individuals | Payment of RM500 in April and RM300 in May |
| Single individuals aged 21 years and above earning RM2,001 to RM4,000 | RM500 | Up to 400,000 individuals | Payment of RM250 in April and RM250 in May |
If you are uncertain about your eligibility status for the BPN aid, you can check your status online on the LHDN website.
How do I apply for Bantuan Prihatin Nasional?
Those who are recipients of the Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) aid do not need to apply as they already on the BSH database. Similarly, registered taxpayers with Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) also do not need to make any application as they are already on the LHDN taxpayers database. As mentioned above, you will be notified by LHDN if you are eligible and you do not need to take any further action.
However, if you are not registered with BSH or LHDN, you can make a new application on the official LHDN website between 1 April and 30 April 2020. If you meet the eligibility criteria but are not marked as eligible on the website check, you can make an online appeal between 3 April and 30 April 2020 – also on the LHDN website.
How will I get my Bantuan Prihatin Nasional payment?
The BPN payments will be made to eligible recipients through direct deposit into their bank accounts. For those in the B40 category who are also Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) recipients, the payment will be automatically made into the bank account that is currently registered in the BSH database. Likewise, eligible M40 recipients who are on the Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) taxpayers’ database will also receive their BPN payments directly into their registered bank accounts.
The BPN payments will be carried out in two parts – one in April and one in May 2020. However, those who need to make new applications will receive their payment in one go during the month of May upon approval.
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The Ministry of Finance also warned the public to be wary of falling victim to scams related to the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional aid payments. The public is encouraged to contact the Ministry of Finance or LHDN through their official hotlines for any further enquiries.
You can reach the Ministry of Finance between 9am – 5pm on Sundays to Fridays at 03-8882 9089/03-8882 9087/03-8882 9191/03-8882 4565/03-8882 4566. You can contact LHDN during the same operating hours at 1-800 882 747 or 03-8911 1000.
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