Govt Aid Brings Relief To Terengganu Fishermen, Parents As School Year Nears

KUALA TERENGGANU, Feb 8 (Bernama) -- The ongoing Northeast Monsoon (MTL) continues to limit opportunities for fishermen, particularly those with small boats, making it difficult for them to earn a living.

At the same time, with the 2025 school year approaching, many parents are feeling the financial strain of preparing their children for the new term.

However, the government’s Early Schooling Aid (BAP), which has been distributed since Jan 13, has provided much-needed relief by helping ease the cost of school essentials.

Fisherman Ismail Abdul, 55, said the RM150 his youngest child received under BAP, combined with his savings, allowed him to purchase new school uniforms and stationery.

“This aid helps lighten our financial burden. Every little bit counts when preparing for the new school year,” he told Bernama recently

Ismail, who has been unable to go to sea since November due to the monsoon, has been making fish traps to earn a living, receiving RM20 for each one he completes.

With an unpredictable income ranging between RM800 and RM1,500 a month, the father of six is also grateful for the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) cash assistance, which he has been receiving since August last year.

For boat repairman Mohd Azwa Saidi, 39, the BAP assistance was a timely boost, covering nearly 80 per cent of the cost of school supplies for his three children.

“This aid is a huge help, especially for single-income families like mine. Alhamdulillah, it eases our burden,” said Mohd Azwa, who has been in the boat repair business for 15 years.

The BAP is provided to students from Year 1 to Form 4 for the 2024/2025 session, with distribution having started on Jan 13. Meanwhile, aid for Form 6 Semester 2 and Year 1 students in the 2025/2026 session will begin on Feb 16.

In addition, the first phase of STR 2025 was disbursed from Jan 22, with an increased allocation of RM2.3 billion compared to RM2.1 billion last year.

-- BERNAMA