KUCHING: Out of the 229 registered Residents’ Associations (RA) in the state, only 11 have applied for grants to enhance security measures in their neighbourhoods, said Sarawak Registrar of Societies (RoS) director Georgina Apphia Ngau.
She also revealed that although an initiative grant of up to RM10,000 is given to every registered RA, the grant has received lukewarm response from the RAs.
“Despite its tremendous benefit in improving the safety and well-being of the community, response to the grant has been lukewarm,” she said at a press conference in ROS office at Jalan Wan Alwi here, today.
Expressing her concern on the low number of RAs applying for the grant, Georgina said only three grants had been approved while eight are still being processed.
“I am quite sad to see the number of applications for the grant has dropped since last year. Now we have only received 11 applications,” she lamented.
She also disclosed that the federal government has allocated RM600,000 to Sarawak as initiative grants to conduct security and safety enhancing programmes for the community.
“With the allocation we are targeting at least 60 RAs to submit their applications,” she said.
The grant can only be used for organising drug prevention programmes or any community programme related to safety and security.
Touching on the lukewarm response, Georgina said there is a need enhance awareness on the benefits of the programmes to the community.
“Perhaps the lukewarm response is due to our procedures where the applicants are required to include their project proposals submitting their applications,” she opined.
Regardless of whether the association is new or had long been established, she stressed that associations wishing to apply for the grant to buy security equipment must provide the price quotations as well as a list of equipment to be purchased and should comply with the requirements of the Home Ministry and Finance Ministry.
“The RAs must understand that background check will be conducted on every RA to ensure that their annual reports are up to date.
“After the grants are approved, we will conduct an inspection within six months to ensure that their projects are done according to the proposals,” she said.
Georgina also said each RA must prove that it is active with a clean administration record and also submit its annual report.
“The annual return of each association must be made within 60 days after holding its annual general meeting and should be submitted to the ROS via the eRoses system pursuant to Section 14 (1) of the Societies Act 1966,” she explained.
She warned that failure to comply would result in a show cause letter being issued to the association before further action is taken including de-registration.
“Under Section 13 (1) the association concerned will be given 30 days to justify the action,” she added.
Starting from this year, Georgina said interested associations can apply online via the RoS website www.eroses.gov.my.
“As of April 30, this year, RoS Sarawak has given grants amounting to RM894,865 to 229 residents’ associations.
“In 2018, the total grants given amounted to RM100,000,” she said.
Among the projects that can be implemented are the installation of CCTVs, the purchase of bicycles for patrols, walkie talkies, tools for security and safety purposes, or even construction of link fencing and alarm systems.
During the tabling of Budget 2019 in November last year, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng announced that RM20 million had been allocated for the grants of up to RM10,000 each to enhance security and safety in the neighbourhood.
