Malaysia Prime Minister promises annual BR1M cash handouts

Main - Malaysia - Najib shows off BN’s achievements, promises annual BR1M @ Tue Mar 19 2013:

"Datuk Seri +Najib Razak trumpeted his government’s achievements for the past three years, and promised an annual Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) cash handouts scheme."

The disadvantage is that the promise is by one Prime Minister. The promise could be easily ignored by subsequent Prime Ministers, or even by the same Prime Minister. The best protection should use the Alaska Permanent Fund as the role model - clear Constitutional laws.

"The prime minister then proceeded to end his speech by announcing that the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) initiative will continue to be an annual handout.

Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah had announced earlier today that some 5.369 million of the 6.114 million people eligible for the BR1M 2.0 have cashed their vouchers as of yesterday.

BR1M has reportedly helped nearly five million families at a cost of RM2.6 billion last year, increasing Najib’s approval ratings up to 69 per cent, largely due to a surge among lower-income households.

BR1M is a one-time handout of RM500 for Malaysian households earning RM3000 and below, and the second payout will be made this year under Budget 2013 with an allocation of RM3 billion and is expected to benefit 4.3 million households."

The government may be increasing BR1M to RM1000.

Is Najib Razak turning Malaysia into a citizen-ownership democracy?

Malaysia is giving money to individuals and households, with very little conditions. It is not near the unconditional citizen-ownership income or the unconditional basic income, but it is on the way there.

In 2011, Malaysia's 2012 budget gives the following, called 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M):

Low-income household
One-off RM500 cash assistance for households earning 3,000 per month and below
One-off RM100 schooling assistance for primary and secondary school students from age 6 to 16, up to Form 5
One-off RM200 book vouchers for students of private and public tertiary institution, and Form 6.

In 2012, Malaysia 2013 budget gives even more, called BR1M 2.0. In version 2.0, unmarried individuals are also given cash.

According to thestar.com.my

"Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, in tabling Budget 2013 last Friday, announced BR1M 2.0, a second one-off payment of RM500 for households earning less than RM3,000 per month. He also announced that BR1M 2.0 was extended to cover single unmarried individuals aged 21 and above earning not more than RM2,000 per month, with a single one-off payment of RM250."

If Malaysia keeps BR1M every year, and extend it to more and more people, it could evolve into a partial citizen-ownership democracy.