KUALA LUMPUR: Payments of RM1,000 in special financial assistance to 12,033 taxi and rental car drivers began on Nov 4 through direct bank transfers or cash payments at bank counters.
The Transport Ministry, through the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad), said 15,062 taxi and rental car drivers had been identified as eligible based on records of active driver cards as at Sept 30.
“Of that number, 2,619 drivers have received the assistance through Bank Simpanan Nasional cash vouchers between Oct 14 and Nov 2.
“The vouchers were distributed to drivers invited to attend assistance handover ceremonies in Putrajaya, Penang, Negri Sembilan, Melaka and Kedah,” it said in a statement today.
Apad said payments to 12,033 drivers were being made using bank account details registered for the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) assistance or through cash payments at bank counters.
Drivers can check their payment status through their respective bank accounts or the Special Financial Assistance Portal at bantuanpemandu.mot.gov.my (http://bantuanpemandu.mot.gov.my/) from Nov 4.
Apad said more than 80 per cent of taxi and rental car drivers were expected to receive the RM1,000 assistance before Deepavali on Nov 8.
For drivers who renewed their driver cards between Oct 1 and 25, data updates and verification are being carried out before payments are made.
Payments to this group are expected to begin on Nov 11 through direct bank transfers or cash payments at bank counters. Their payment status can also be checked through the portal from the same date.
Meanwhile, payments of RM1,000 in special financial assistance to about 7,228 school bus drivers are expected to be made soon through direct bank transfers to their respective bank accounts.
Apad said it would continue coordinating the payments with the relevant parties to ensure the assistance was distributed to all eligible recipients in an orderly and smooth manner.
The Special Financial Assistance Portal for school bus drivers was closed on Oct 30 to allow data checks and verification.
School bus drivers or operators can check the eligibility status of registered drivers through the same portal from the second week of November, Apad said.