Needy receive eight types of monthly assistance

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THE State Welfare Department (JKM) renders eight types of monthly assistance to the needy at various rates.

According to Welfare Assistant Minister Robert Lawson Chuat, the assistance include child assistance with rates ranging from RM100 to RM450 per month, senior citizen assistance at RM300, disabled worker allowance at RM300, caretaker for bedridden chronic patient assistance at RM300, people with disabilities (OKU) assistance at RM150, general assistances from RM150 to RM250, youth assistance at RM200 per month and ‘anak terpelihara’ assistance at RM200.

“In 2014, JKM Sarawak has allocated RM188 million as monthly welfare assistance to the needy of which as of March this year, around RM44 million has been distributed to 56,420 recipients throughout the state,” he said in reply to a supplementary question by Dr Hazland Hipni (BN-Demak Laut) at the 17th State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting yesterday.

Earlier, Robert pointed out that the Ministry of Welfare, Women and Family Development’s policy in providing monthly assistance consisted of three factors.

“The first factor is those who qualify to be considered for the monthly assistance are Malaysians with household income below RM830 per month and are categorised in the needy group.

“The second factor is based on the termination policy whereby upon approval of the monthly assistance, the period of receiving the assistance is one year except for general assistance and youth assistance categories which are given two years and six months respectively,” he explained.

The third factor, Robert said, is based on the ministry’s review of the assistance.