KUCHING: The establishment of the Kuching Community Social Support Centre (CSSC) will be a game changer in bringing positive impact to vulnerable communities and tackling social problems.
Minister of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said this is in line with the commitment of the state government in its efforts to achieve the status of a developed state by 2030.
She added that the government is also committed to balancing development involving physical, economic and social development, thus giving it due attention.
“With CSSC, we are confident that it will have a positive impact to achieve social inclusiveness and that the wellbeing of vulnerable communities that face social problems can be resolved.
“CSSC Kuching is the first community support centre to be established in Sarawak, and I hope that it can be a reference to other centres that will be established in other places in the future,” said Fatimah.
She said this at the Community Wellbeing Solidarity Night Programme with the Kuching district community leaders at CSSC Kuching in Wisma Ho Ho Lim here last night (Jan 7).
Fatimah, who is also the chairperson of the CSSC Kuching Advisory Board, noted that similar projects would be implemented in Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, Lawas, Mukah, Sri Aman and Kapit, where they have also been approved at the Cabinet level.
“We will use the experience gained in managing CSSC Kuching in other places as well,” she said.
CSSC Kuching is one of the intervention and social support referral centres supported by her ministry.
Among the service components in the CSSC are a showcase of assistance and social and welfare services provided by the government; an integrated one-stop centre for social support and intervention referral services; and a training centre for women who are stuck with social issues and problems.
“There is also a soup kitchen for the homeless and needy groups, a community food bank, a youth and child-friendly activity corner, a social enterprise column, and community mental health services.
“At the same time, the centre will also help to combat 14 social issues faced by vulnerable communities that are given focus by the ministry through the Social Development Council (MPS), such as the homeless, victims of domestic violence, mental health issues, identification document problems, family addiction to substances, and related social issues or problems,” she explained.
Fatimah also noted that CSSC Kuching is a public-private-civil society collaboration with the ministry, which represents the Sarawak government.
“Elica Sdn Bhd, represented by Datuk Bobby, and the family of the owner of the Wisma Ho Ho Lim building, represented by Datin Lee Brenda Shen-Tel, have offered this premises without paying rent for five years.
“In addition to offering the premises as a project site, they also do the renovation work for free as their corporate social responsibility project,” she stressed.
Also present were the ministry permanent secretary Noriah Ahmad, Kuching Resident Fathi Hambali, state Women and Family Department director Salmah Jobeli, state Social Welfare Department director Adana Jed, state Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) director Shahriah Saharom, SKUP Kuching Chairman Kapitan Peter Wong Huang and the ministry deputy permanent secretary Nur Alina Abdullah@Colliner Gohe.
