KUCHING: Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah welcomes the assistance provided under the National Economic Recovery Plan (Pelan Jana Semula Economy Negara or Penjana).
She said the assistance announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin showed that the government was inclusive as the assistance covered all sectors and everybody including disabled people and single mothers.
“Disadvantaged people are not left out. It is hard for the disabled to get jobs so they need to find their own income through small scale business, but they need to raise capital for that,” she told New Sarawak Tribune yesterday (June 5).
She also acknowledged that some single mothers had tough time getting jobs due to age and eligibility.
“If they did not have jobs, who would raise their children especially the young ones?” she said.
When announcing the Penjana yesterday (June 5), Muhyiddin said more than 300,000 handicapped persons and single mothers registered with the Social Welfare Department would be eligible to receive the RM300 one-off assistance.
On the grants for childcare centres, Fatimah hoped it would be beneficial for those badly affected by the lockdown during which they still had to bear certain expenses.
“Disinfection of childcare centres must be done before their reopening. The staff members need face masks and hand sanitisers, which all cost money.
“The assistance from the federal and state governments will help to cover the costs but they are not enough to cover other costs such as teachers’ salaries,” she said.
She added that the speedy delivery of assistance should be given serious attention so that they could be disbursed smoothly.
Muhyiddin said the grants were for childcare centres to implement the SOPs set by the government.
He said e-vouchers would be available for those who order childcare services online, while individual income tax incentives would also be given for fees paid to childcare centres and kindergartens up to RM3,000.
