KUCHING: Welfare, Community Well-Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah praised Kuching Welfare Association for Muslim Patients (PKPIK) for its role in delivering assistance to sick Muslims.
She said this yesterday when a delegation from the association led by their chairman, Azmi Shaari, visited her to request for financial support from the ministry.
“We appreciate the service of the association especially to Muslim patients in terms of delivering Azan to the newborn, providing accommodation and helping whenever a patient dies,” said Fatimah.
“The ministry will continue to support good activities that benefit patients.”
Fatimah acknowledged that the association had been helping rural people who come to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) to attend to their ailing family members.
“Patients and their families often face difficulties as they have to come repeatedly for treatment, and we realise that the hospital is often full and has little space to accommodate the waiting family members,” she said.
She noted that the association’s role complemented that of her ministry and the state’s Community Welfare Department.
On the programmes carried out by the association, Fatimah suggested that they submit a proposal to her ministry in order to get support.
“We provide grants to NGOs for carrying out activities that benefit the community, but we need to obtain the particulars of the programmes including the dates and overall cost,” she explained.
She also commented on the association’s request to the ministry to help take care of the rent of its building.
“The rent is not included in the ministry’s grant. We will look at it and give it proper consideration as there are financial implications and conditions for any grant,” she said.
Also present during the visit were the association’s advisor Mohammad Annuar Saim and state Community Welfare Department acting deputy director Mohamad Guntor Rajaee.
