By NOOR SYAHHIRA HADY & SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA
KUCHING: The Sarawak government will continue to give priority to and enhance the protection of women, children, senior citizens, and the unfortunate with its people centric development model.
Finance and New Economy Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the move would enable the government to reach out to all levels of society to ensure inclusivity and dignified existence for all.
To realise this matter, he said that in 2023, the state will continue to implement various safety net programmes to allow these citizens deal with adversities of life.
“The programme includes RM52 million for various welfare aids such as Batuan Am and Bantuan Bencana; RM21 million for free water programme; RM15 million for post-natal care assistance; RM12 million for Kenyalang Gold Card (KGC) as death compassionate assistance for 4,000 beneficiaries of the elderly aged 60 and above; RM10 million for Endowment Fund Sarawak and RM10 million for financial assistance on electricity connection charges.
“We will also give a special grant of RM4.2 million for Kasih Suri Keluarga Malaysia that will benefit widows and single women registered under the National Poverty Database (eKasih) System; RM3.75 million for low income household empowering programmes (e-Life) to assist 750 recipients towards uplifting their income through small business ventures by providing them with starter kits and entrepreneurship skills; RM3.5 million for awareness and intervention programmes for community wellbeing programmes; and RM2 million for Bantuan Pesakit Buah Pinggang (BPBP) to assist kidney patients to undergo treatment as well to purchase more haemodialysis machines,” he said.
He was tabling the Supply (2023) Bill, 2022 at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today (Nov 21).
Abang Johari stated that apart from the financial assistance, the state government will also provide allocation to establish centres for the disadvantaged and special needs community.
“We will allocate RM500,000 for setting up Safe Haven for Homeless and Displaced Communities Centres in Bintulu and Miri – a transit shelter to provide assistance and protection among the individuals and families who encounter social problems.
“Another RM500,000 will be allocated for the initial works to set up the Special Needs Community Centre (SNCC) – a functional well-integrated and one-stop community centre for special needs communities. The concept moulded for this SNCC will be the first in Malaysia.
“The setting up of the Community Social Support Centre (CSSC) will be allocated RM2.2 million where it functions as a one-stop centre for social issues, problems, and interventions for the disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginalised families, and individuals like those having problems of addiction, homelessness, divorce and marriage,” he said.
