Budget 2013: BR1M (RM500 Aid) To Continue?

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Budget 2013: NajibPrime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has spoken of the goodies for the people in Budget 2013, hinting that the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) scheme could continue.

He said the Government could afford to do so as it had done a good job in managing the economy.

“We have done well at a time when some countries, including those in Europe, are having problems. So if our detractors can organise Bersih 1, 2 or 3, this Government will also be able to organise BRIM1, 2 or 3 if there is rezeki (earnings),” the Prime Minister said at a buka puasa event with thousands of people at Masjid At Taqwa in Paroi near here yesterday.

Najib, who is also the Finance Minister, reiterated that the Government need not borrow to provide BR1M aid as claimed by critics.

“The National Finance Council which met today (yesterday) was told that the Government earned an additional RM26bil in revenue for 2011.

“We were able to give out the first BR1M payment due to the sound management of the economy and we shall do more if we continue in our ways this year,” he said, adding that all Mentri Besar and Chief Ministers were present at the meeting.

Citing an example, Najib said the Felda Global Ventures Holdings shares listed recently had been on the uptrend at a time when the value of shares of global brand Facebook was dipping.

“Whenever this Government does something, it is done after much thought and careful planning.

“We do not make promises that we can’t keep as this would only bring unnecessary problems in future,” he said.

Source: TheStar Online