KUCHING: Getting two of five Anjung Kasih to be built in the state means that it has achieved 100 per cent of its request for such facilities.
Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said that with the announcement made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when tabling the national Budget 2013 yesterday, the state would have one Anjung Kasih each in Kuching, Sibu and Miri.
Anjung Kasih is a temporary home for families or relatives of patients seeking treatment at government hospitals, especially those from outstation who could not afford to stay in budget hotels or inns.
“We already have one here (in Kuching) and we have forwarded our requests to get two more for Miri and Sibu. We actually did not expect that both will be approved in the Budget 2013.
“If we can get one we will be happy and now that 100 per cent of our request is being fulfilled, we should be most thankful, especially to the Prime Minister,” she told reporters when watching the tabling of the budget on television together with employees of Welfare Department and leaders of various charitable organisations at Wisma Kebajikan in Petra Jaya here yesterday.
She said with five of such facilities being approved for the whole nation and Sarawak getting two indicated that the federal government was not looking at Sarawak as a state but on its need.
“This shows that our leaders know what we badly need and for as long as they are justifiable, we will get them. For instance, we have realised that temporary shelters such as this is being badly needed.
“We want to have one each in Kuching to cater for the need of people in the southern region, Sibu for the central region and Miri for those from the northern region. With the announcement of RM1 million for each Anjung Kasih, we should be very grateful,” she added.
She said that the newly unveiled budget was also favourable, as far as her ministry was concerned.
“The only thing is we do not know how much the state will be getting but we hope that the federal government will also look into our needs and not looking at Sarawak as a state.
“I should say that the national budget this time is holistic and taking into consideration all aspects of our transformation,” she said.