Selangor government’s latest RM130mil stimulus package and other assistance schemes for the B40 and M40 to overcome the effects of the global energy crisis are laudable.
There has been a spike in inflation and the cost of living, so the lower-income groups welcome these efforts to tide over the present difficulties.
The latest Selangor scheme is an initiative to provide RM100 monthly to 50,000 households for the next six months under the Kita Selangor initiative.
This will help a lot of the B40s who are finding it difficult to cope with the price increases of a large array of consumer essentials.
The manufacturing sector and the SMEs too are affected by the crisis and therefore unable to increase wages and salaries of their workers to overcome the increasing cost of living.
This leaves only the Federal and state governments to help the people.
Although Selangor as the nation’s richest and most developed state has been helpful by launching numerous aid schemes, many of the assistance schemes are not transparent and the disbursal leaves a lot to be desired.
How the applicants or the B40s are chosen is not transparent and is very much subjective.
Priority is also given to certain constituencies.
This has led to criticism of the various aid schemes of the state government.
The Federal Government’s Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) scheme is done in a transparent and fair manner, leaving little room for criticism.
This is how an assistance or affirmative action scheme should operate to get the people’s support.
Selangor’s aid schemes, on the other hand, create a lot of suspicion as to who gets the assistance and who does not.
The various schemes such as public transport subsidy, subsidised food programmes, free breakfast programme, education support, Bantuan Kehidupan Sejahtera Selangor (Bingkas) programme, Iltizam Selangor Sihat (ISS), Skim Mesra Usia Emas (SMUE) all face major shortcomings in that people are unaware of these aid schemes or find it difficult to apply for. Or they face rejection for unjustifiable reasons.
The state assembly representatives and MPs should help out on these matters.
Some schemes like the ISS and SMUE are often suspended indefinitely or from time to time, and new applicants cannot apply.
The Selangor government needs to follow the procedures and guidelines of the Federal Government when initiating and implementing aid schemes.
There should be full transparency and accountability as to how and for whom the aid packages are disbursed.
There should be no subjective element involved in identifying the target recipients.
V. THOMAS
Sg Buloh, Selangor
