SHAH ALAM, May 12 — Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) chairman Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki today urged the public to be careful in interpreting the T20 and M40 categories, stressing that household financial burdens should also be taken into consideration.
Asyraf said families earning a combined household income of RM13,000 in major cities such as Kuala Lumpur could still fall in the M40 or even B40 category depending on their commitments and number of dependents.
“Interpret the T20 or M40 category carefully. A household income of RM13,000 living in cities like Kuala Lumpur, five children still in school and university, can fall into M40 or even B40,” he said in a Facebook post today.
He also explained that urban living costs and the responsibility of supporting university-going children significantly affect a household’s actual financial standing.
“For example, when both spouses are teachers with a salary of RM6,500. When combined, it becomes a household income of RM13,000, living in big cities, with three university or college children and three more children in school. Try to calculate their expenses,” he said, signalling how grouping by income alone is not enough to determine one’s financial burdens.
Asyraf added that MARA considers such factors before approving education aid or funding applications to ensure help is given to families that are genuinely in need.
