GEORGE TOWN: The remaining eligible taxi, hire car and school bus drivers nationwide will receive the RM1,000 special financial aid directly into their respective bank accounts through electronic funds transfer (EFT).
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the disbursement through this method would be carried out in the next phase, following the first phase of direct handovers to eligible drivers in several zones.
In the first phase, the aid was handed directly to eligible recipients in selected zones, with Penang hosting the second presentation ceremony after the launch in Putrajaya on Oct 14.
"For the second ceremony, we are very pleased to be able to bring together 700 taxi and rental car drivers in Penang, who were selected as symbolic representatives to receive the aid in person.
"The aid will be handed over to those who have been verified as eligible before Deepavali,” he told reporters after the presentation ceremony at Dewan Sri Pinang here on Saturday (Oct 17).
He also reminded drivers to ensure that they met the eligibility requirements to facilitate the screening of recipient data.
The main requirements include holding a driver card and a valid vehicle licence or permit (VP), as well as a valid Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence.
Loke also urged drivers to keep abreast of announcements by the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad), the Sabah Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (LPKP) and LPKP Sarawak regarding the required information and verification process.
He said coordination among agencies under the Transport Ministry was important to ensure that the screening of recipient data was carried out transparently and fairly.
"I know that this RM1,000 may not solve all your problems or fully cover vehicle maintenance costs. However, I sincerely hope this assistance can, to some extent, ease your household expenses, help you replace worn-out tyres or fill your fuel tanks so that you can continue going out to earn a living,” he added.
On Oct 9, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced a one-off RM1,000 special financial aid for taxi, rental car and school bus drivers as one of the initiatives under Budget 2027. – Bernama
