KAPIT: Community Wellbeing Assistant Minister Datuk Francis Harden Hollis has called on all community leaders and parents here to report to the Welfare Department genuine cases of need elderly persons and children, people with disabilities (OKU), and single parents so that appropriate remedial measures could be taken to help them.
“Community leaders are the ‘eyes’ of the Welfare Department. After receiving a report, we will send our officials to investigate and assist those who deserve our assistance. If you don’t report, the Welfare Department won’t know about these people,” he said.
In particular he wanted the OKU to be registered with the Welfare Department.
Speaking while officiating at the Sejambak Kasih Gawai Raya 2019 programme at the State Office Complex here yesterday, Harden revealed that some 46,376 benefitted from the programme throughout the state this year.
Among the beneficiaries, some 30,750 will celebrate Gawai and 15,626 will celebrate Hari Raya.
He said the state government through the Welfare Department handed out cash assistance of RM100 and a hamper of gifts worth RM50 to every beneficiary under various categories of financial aid.
The objective of the programme is to lighten the financial burden of the hard-core poor, to enhance the quality of their lives and share the joy of the festive seasons with them.
Locally, some 2,900 persons benefit from the programme, of whom 2,852 are going to celebrate Gawai and 48 will celebrate Hari Raya.
He also disclosed that from January 1 to April 30 this year, the Welfare Department here has spent RM3,560,900 on 3,000 welfare recipients under various categories: RM558,600 under Aid for Children (737 recipients), RM1,633,550 for Aid for the Elderly (1,192 recipients), RM770,900 in General Assistance (805 recipients), RM160,000 in Handicapped Workers Allowance (106 recipients), RM74,650 in Aid for Handicapped Children/Bedridden Patients with Chronic Illnesses (57 recipients), and RM190,500 in Aid for Working Handicapped/Disabled Persons (203 recipients).
The Sejambak Kasih Gawai Raya 2019 is a state-wide programme for the Gawai-Raya celebrations.
The state-wide recipients for Gawai based on divisions are as follows: Kuching – 2,845, Samarahan – 1,177, Serian – 3,222, Sri Aman – 3,855, Betong – 2,374, Sarikei – 1,739, Sibu – 5,477, Mukah – 774, Kapit – 2,852, Bintulu – 2,455, Miri – 2,318 and Limbang – 1,662 respectively.
The recipients for Hari Raya are: Kuching – 4,122, Samarahan – 2,740, Serian – 287, Sri Aman – 690, Betong – 2,174, Sarikei – 316, Sibu – 525, Mukah – 2,066, Kapit – 48, Bintulu – 653, Miri – 850 and Limbang – 1,155 respectively.
