KUCHING: Households earning below the Income Poverty Line (PGK) level should apply for assistance under the Social Welfare Department (JKM).
Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the PGK level has now been increased to RM1,169 effective January.
She said the increase in PGK level will see a rise in households eligible for assistance from JKM.
“The PGK limit for JKM assistance is now set by the federal government and is at RM1,169.
“Thus, we ask that Sarawakians who are listed as part of the ‘vulnerable group’ (target group), who earn less than the PGK, especially after COVID-19, to apply for JKM assistance,” she said after presenting donations at Heng Hua Seng Ing Tong here on Monday (Jan 17).
Fatimah added that previously, the PGK limit was set at RM1,020.
“This means when the PGK limit is raised, more people are eligible — maybe in the past they were not eligible due to their household income of more than RM1,020.
“So, we want our people (Sarawakians) to know this, because this is the PGK that has been set by the federal government and the assistance will also be allocated by them,” she added.
Last week, Women, Family and Community Development Federal Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said the number of welfare assistance recipients under the JKM this year is expected to reach 550,000 people compared to 517,414 last year through the adoption of the Food Poverty Line Income limit 2019 as application eligibility.
Fatimah said the expected increase was in line with the government’s decision to raise the eligibility for welfare assistance application by using the food PGK limit 2019 of RM1,169 compared to RM980 previously.
She said that about 71 per cent, or RM1.772 bln of the RM2.5 bln, operating expenditure for the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) this year would be channeled to welfare aid under the JKM to assist the needy.
