KUALA LUMPUR: More than RM59mil has been paid out to over 11,000 families who lost family members to Covid-19, the Dewan Rakyat was told.

       "As of Dec 6, a total 24,305 applications were made for Covid-19 funeral expenses.

       "Of these, 11,816 were approved out of 14,818 applications processed, involving aid totalling RM59.08mil," Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mastura Mohd Yazid said on Monday (Dec 13).

       She added in her reply to Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) that from a total of 65,189 applications made for Covid-19 special aid (BKC), some 55,184 had been processed and RM28.6mil was paid out to 22,336 recipients.

       She said there was no special allocation for the purpose as the money came from the Covid-19 National Disaster Management Fund.

       This fund comprises contributions from the public, corporate sector, royal institutions and civil servants, she added.

       "To date, the government has made an initial contribution of RM61mil.

       "If there is another Covid-19 wave, the government will make an additional contribution if there is not enough in the fund to make payments," she said.

       Mastura noted that not all applications for Covid-19 aid were successful.

       She said this was mainly because those applying for the RM5,000 funeral aid were either not Malaysian citizens or had submitted incomplete application forms.

       Those who did not qualify for the RM100 special aid, she added, were those who still had income while being treated for Covid-19.

       Khoo suggested that the online application process for the aid should be simplified.

       He also proposed that payments are made within a week instead of a month.

       Mastura noted that improvements have been made to the online application process.