PUTRAJAYA: About 80 to 90 per cent of 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) recipients are expected to receive their first instalment of the funds for the year by Friday.
Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the funds will be deposited into the recipients' accounts in stages.
"For those who have yet to receive their BR1M, we hope they can be patient and wait until end of the week. We expect that about 80 to 90 per cent of BR1M recipients will get their money by this Friday.
"If they have issues with BR1M, they can contact the nearest Inland Revenue Board to resolve the problem," he told reporters after the Customs Department Chinese New Year celebration here.
Present were Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong and Customs director-general Datuk Seri T. Subromaniam.
Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah had recently announced that the 2018 BR1M payment began on Monday.
About seven million people were eligible to receive the BR1M payment, involving a total sum of RM6.3 billion.
The payment will be made in three stages. For instance, those who are eligible to receive RM1,200 will be paid with RM400 first while the rest will be paid in the second and third phases.
On another matter, Johari said the cabinet meeting will not bring up the issues on tycoon Tan Sri Robert Kuok.
"The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had recently given his clarification, that he praised the billionaire tycoon for his contributions to the nation’s progress.
"We live in a multi-racial country and all races have played their part in developing the national economy. This matter has been politicisied and we don't want to talk about this issue in the cabinet meeting," he said.
Johari, meanwhile, also brushed off reports made by a portal that he would be nominated as Selangor Menteri Besar should Barisan Nasional (BN) win the state in the 14th General Election.
Johari, who is Titiwangsa MP, said the list of candidates to contest in the next general election is only determined by the party president.
"I am a member of parliament of Titiwangsa, which is in the Federal Territories area, so how come my name is mentioned (as BN Selangor MB candidate)? That position should be given to the Selangor leaders.
"As BN representative, the candidacy for 14th General Election is subjected to the decision of our party president. We have no authority to decide who will contest in the general election," he added