KUALA TERENGGANU: The special payments announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the 2018 Budget are a timely gift for pensioners and students who are faced with the rising cost of living.
Lembaga Pertubuhan Peladang (LPP) officer Mohd Faizul Amir Zulkurnain, 37, said the budget is proof that the government cared about the rakyat.
Faizul, who will receive RM1,500 bonus under the budget, said the cash aid will ease his financial constraints.
Faizul, who works at the LPP office in Labis, Johor, said the special payment to be will allow him to finance his two children’s education for two years.
He also said he would use the remainder of the money for the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri celebration next year.
“The money will take off some of my burden as I am the sole breadwinner for the family,” he said when met at his family’s home in Kampung Banggol Pak Ali, Marang.
His two children, Qaizer Wafdan and Qisya Amanda, will be eight and seven years old next year. They will be looked after by his wife Malina Tamuri.
“This is a long-awaited budget and personally, I think the prime minister feels the heartbeat of the nation,” he said, adding that he is planning for a third child next year.
Faizul said his father Zulkurnain Jurid, 62, and mother Pauziah Abdullah, 62, both retired civil servants, will benefit from the RM750 cash aid, which is RM500 more than last time.
“This is more than enough at the moment. The money will be used to buy health supplements,” he said, adding that his younger brother Mohd Firdaus Zulfahmi, 24, a final-year student at University Malaysia Perlis (UNIMAP) will be getting a book voucher worth RM250.