KUCHING: Pregnant mothers who have registered for the post natal care assistance or Bantuan Ibu Bersalin (BIB) are still eligible for the aid despite unfortunate incidents such as miscarriage.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the assistance would still be given to the mothers as they would need the money for post natal care and recovery.
“Recently, I received a phone call from Sibu where I was informed that a mother had just miscarried and they wanted to know whether they were still eligible for the assistance.
“The answer is yes. This is because the BIB assistance aims to help the mother in her post-pregnancy period despite unfortunate events befalling the child in her womb.
“However, those in such circumstances cannot apply for Endowment Fund Sarawak (EFS) since the baby was miscarried,” she told a press conference at the Sarawak Social Welfare Department (JKMS) building here yesterday.
Fatimah said a mother who passed away during or after her pregnancy would have her application for BIB assistance nullified.
“However, the baby is still eligible to apply for EFS,” she said.
At the event, Fatimah presented BIB assistance to two recipients, Norfaizah Hasbolhi and Roslinda Salina Robert Bentai.
Norfaizah, 32, who is a housewife, has just given birth to her third child, expressed gratitude to the state government for the assistance.
“No doubt the assistance will ease my burden after giving birth. Such assistance is the first I have ever received and I am definitely touched by the state government’s concern for Sarawakian mothers,” she said.
Meanwhile, Watson Personal Care senior customer assistant Roslinda, 24, said the assistance worth RM450 would be used for her post natal care as well as buying her baby’s needs.
“I am deeply grateful to the state government as such assistance, both BIB and EFS, is timely and proved how caring the government is towards Sarawakians,” she said.
