Channel BPR aid automatically to BSH 2020 & BPN 2.0 beneficiaries to prevent new Covid-19 infection clusters

The government should be compassionate to the public and pragmatic in its actions by channeling the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) cash aid automatically to earlier recipients of  'Bantuan Sara Hidup', or, the Bantuan Prihatin Negara (BPN) 2.0. Only those who did not receive any form of prior assistance before need to apply for the BPR, thereby reduce the numbers of people leaving home, being exposed to the risk of infections and new Covid-19 outbreaks occurring.

Additionally, the application procedures for BPR should be simplified to prevent the emergence of Covid-19 clusters when the public flocks to various service centres to apply or update their personal information.

As BPR is now open for applications and the duration to update personal information spans from 15 January 2021 to 15 February 2021, these past two days have witnessed members of the public flocking to service centres to check and update their personal data.

It is a progressive move that the government allows BPR applications to be made online. However, the government should also keep in mind there are groups in community including the elderly who are not skillful at using IT devices and may require help from others, thereby rendering themselves exposed to certain risks.

We must take proactive measures, and, at all costs, the emergence of new Covid-19 clusters must be prevented.

Daniel Wa Wai How
MCA Youth Secretary General

-MCA online-