THE state government continues to improve its administrative and service delivery towards the wellbeing of the people “from cradle to grave”, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
Among the various initiatives introduced through the Ministry of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development (KWKPK) was Endowment Fund Sarawak (EFS) that gives out RM1,000 to Sarawakian newborns.
“As of Oct 31, EFS recorded the registration of RM21,192 babies,” he said when delivering the KWKPK winding-up speech at the DUN sitting on Friday (Nov 13).
For the post-natal care assistance or Bantuan Ibu Bersalin (BIB) of RM450, 9,405 mothers had benefitted from the initiative introduced this year, involving an allocation of RM4,232,250.
Next was the Special Annual Grant (GTK), a RM5,000 yearly grant to all registered early childhood care institutions (ECIs) in the state.
Additionally, the government also took over SeDidik Sdn Bhd, with its 94 kindergartens and nurseries, to ensure quality early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) services, especially in rural areas.
Others included the setting up of the One Stop Early Intervention Centre (Oseic) in Metrocity Matang, which provides diagnosis, rehabilitation and intervention services for children with special needs; sports opportunities and capacity development through talent identifications and training schemes in sports; as well as Women Skills Training (WST) for women.
Uggah also said that as of November this year, the monthly welfare assistance for the needy recorded 52,779 recipients with a total expenditure of RM160,649,790 (federal and state funding).
“We applaud the 2021 budget presentation made by the Minister of Finance, Malaysia on Nov 6, under ‘Matlamat Pertama: Kesejahteraan Rakyat’, in which the federal government agreed to increase the monthly welfare assistance rate.”
The assistance are Bantuan OKU Tidak Berupaya Bekerja (BTB) up from RM250 to RM300; Bantuan Orang Tua (BOT) up from RM350 to RM500; Bantuan Penjagaan OKU/ Pesakit Kronik Terlantar (BPT) up from RM350 to RM500; Elaun Pekerja Cacat (EPC) up from RM400 to RM450; and Bantuan Kanak-Kanak (BKK); up from RM100 per child with a maximum of RM450 per family, to RM150 per child aged seven to 18 or RM200 per child aged six and below with a maximum of RM1,000 per family.
On the state government’s part, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg tabled in the 2021 Sarawak Budget the continuation of allocation of RM57mil for Bantuan Am – RM200 to RM300 per month; Bantuan Belia-Beliawanis – RM200 per month; and as a top-up to the federal allocation, RM50 per case/family per month for both Bantuan Kanak-Kanak (BKK) and Bantuan OKU Tidak Berupaya Bekerja (BTB).
The government also introduced special aid for kidney patients in the form of haemodialysis machines and transportation assistance, especially for patients in the rural areas.
“As of Oct 31, 61 kidney patients have benefitted involving an expenditure of RM420,452.”
