State infrastructure, transport and digital committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the total sum channelled to this group from 2013 to 2023 amounted to RM16.56 million.

He said applications may be submitted at any time during the year, with the first payment scheduled for March, depending on the number of applications received.

Zairil said this will be the 11th year of distribution of the aid, which will be paid in a lump sum of RM600 to those who meet the conditions.

“In 2023, we divided the payment into two parts – RM300 each on Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri,” he said in a statement today.

He said a new condition for this year’s aid is that the applicant must be a voter in Penang, in line with other programmes under the i-Sejahtera system.

Secondly, applicants who are self-employed taxi drivers and school bus operators must be registered with the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) under the self-employed social security scheme (SKSPS).