With Malaysians in dire need of support during these tough times, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has announced that the government will be giving out a second round of the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) financial aid, dubbed the BPN 2.0.
The cash aid is part of the government’s new Kita Prihatin Package, which is aimed at providing further assistance to those who were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In case you are unclear about the new BPN 2.0 aid and how it is being distributed, here are some frequently asked questions about the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional:
What is BPN 2.0?
Bantuan Prihatin Nasional, first introduced in March 2020, is a one-off cash aid given to B40 and M40 Malaysians to relieve the burden of the rakyat during the pandemic.
Payments for the BPN were disbursed in the months of April and May. BPN 2.0 is a return of this initiative, announced by the Prime Minister on 23 September 2020.
How much money do I get under BPN 2.0?
Under BPN 2.0, recipients will get the relevant payouts as follows:
- RM1,000 to 3.7 million B40 households
- RM500 to 3.8 million B40 individuals
- RM600 to almost 1.4 million M40 households
- RM300 to 1.7 million M40 individuals.
Am I eligible for BPN 2.0?
If you're one of the 10.6 million recipients who have been approved under the first BPN aid payout, you are automatically be eligible for BPN 2.0.
If you're not, the eligibility criteria for the first round of BPN was set as follows:
- B40 households: Households earning RM4,000 and below
- M40 households: Households earning between RM4,001 – RM8,000
- B40 individuals: Single individuals 21 years and above earning RM2,000 and below
- M40 individuals: Single individuals 21 years and above earning RM2,001 to RM4,000
Note: single individuals who are 21 years old are those who were born in the year 1999 and below.
So, when will I receive the BPN 2.0 payments?
BPN 2.0 will be disbursed in two stages: the first at the end of October 2020, and the second payment in January 2021.
The amount of payment that will be given out in each phase will be in accordance with the schedule below:
| Category | October Phase | January Phase | Total |
| B40 households | RM700 | RM300 | RM1,000 |
| M40 households | RM400 | RM200 | RM600 |
| B40 individuals | RM350 | RM150 | RM500 |
| M40 individuals | RM200 | RM100 | RM300 |
How do I apply for BPN 2.0?
Just like with the first Bantuan Prihatin Nasional initiative, eligible recipients will not have to make any applications at all.
Earlier in March, the government stressed that Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) recipients did not need to apply as they were already in the BSH database.
Similarly, registered taxpayers with Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) did not need to make any applications as they were in the taxpayer database.
LHDN has confirmed that those who received the first round of BPN payments earlier this year will not have to make any applications to receive BPN 2.0.
If I was not successful before, can I appeal or apply for BPN 2.0?
Unfortunately, if you did not qualify for the first round of BPN payments, chances are you also do not fit the criteria for BPN 2.0.
However, the government will be accepting appeals and new applications from those who are actually eligible for BPN, but never received the initial BPN payment.
BPN 2.0 applications can be made starting 15 October 2020 and you can find out more about appealing for BPN 2.0 here.