Lim’s BR1M vow clip goes viral

GEORGE TOWN: A footage of DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng promising that the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) payouts will be continued after Pakatan Harapan wins Putrajaya has been making its rounds on social media since Sunday.

The 18-second clip, picked up from KiniTV and posted by Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) adviser Datuk Huan Cheng Guan on his Facebook account, “Mejar Huan Penang”, shows Lim delivering his campaign speech prior to the 14th General Election (GE14).

Lim is heard saying that “BR1M will still be paid out (when PH assumes power), and that we (PH) are able to do so because we are clean”.

“We do not take the people’s money, the people will definitely get their money (Kita tidak makan wang, rakyat pasti boleh dapat wang).”

The clip has since garnered about 22,000 views, 577 shares and 133 comments up to yesterday.

Huan said the PH government made too many promises and could not keep them, adding that this would affect the low- and middle-income groups.

“Now everyone knows it was a lie... A false hope that they (PH) had given to the people before the elections. After gaining power at the federal level, they are singing a different tune.

“These people should go to the village areas and see for themselves how valuable BR1M is for the people there.

“Rich people couldn’t care less about BR1M being abolished, but the poor need it.”

BR1M was introduced in 2012. The amount had increased annually until this year, when the PH government said there would be no increment.

PH, in its manifesto for GE14, pledged to continue with the payout.

It was later announced that BR1M would be replaced with Bantuan Sara Hidup Malaysia (Cost of Living Aid). The thirdstage payment was made recently.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was quoted on Saturday as saying that BR1M would be gradually phased out.

He had said his administration’s goal was to create as many jobs as possible through domestic and foreign investments.

He said that only by doing so would Malaysians become more independent and rely less on government handouts.