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BUDGET 2017 Despite falling revenue, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today announced a further increase to the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M).

He also defended the cash handout policy, which had come under intense criticism from the likes of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"BR1M is not animal feed (dedak) nor bait. It is sincere assistance from the government as we always prioritise the rakyat's needs.

"Hence, we provide more assistance," he added when tabling Budget 2017 in Parliament this evening.