The aid was part of the Pemerkasa Plus scheme announced by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on May 31.

The money was supposed to be disbursed through the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) on Thursday.

Tour guides, schoolbus drivers and tour bus drivers were also set to receive the payment.

The aid, which is the third in a series to the group during the pandemic, amounts to RM68 million and was to benefit 134,000 recipients.

Citing “technical processes that could not be avoided”, Apad said on Wednesday that recipients could expect to receive the payments from July 27.

Aid for e-hailing drivers would be announced at a later date.

“The aid should not have been postponed,” fumed Kuala Lumpur-based taxi driver Saiful Helmi Ismail.

“This shows that Apad’s system to distribute the aid is weak,” said Saiful, who was planning to use the money to settle some outstanding debts and pay for fuel and groceries.

Ashok, an e-hailing driver from Butterworth, said he earns only RM20 a day and is struggling to keep up with various expenses, especially since he has two children under the age of five who need milk powder and pampers.

“Technical problem? That’s not a (valid) excuse at all,” he said.

“We have been waiting a long time for this aid and we’re so sad it has been delayed,” he said, adding that his family has had to skip meals during the lockdown.

It’s the same for Hooi Poh Onn, a taxi driver in Kuala Lumpur, who said that his daily income is now just enough for “breakfast, and sometimes lunch or dinner”.

“There is no way I can make enough to pay for (the taxi’s) rental,” he said.

“I have been in arrears for almost three months, and there is a limit to my boss’s patience.

“Soon, he will send someone to repossess the taxi. Hopefully, the aid will come before then.”

When contacted by FMT, an Apad spokesperson said it was working to ensure the payment can be made as soon as possible and regretted the inconvenience caused.