WOMEN POWER: Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim (front, centre) together with guests and participants of Women Entrepreneurship Seminar 2014 gesturing at the opening ceremony in Kuching. Organised by the ministry in collaboration with Sarawak Women’s Bureau, the programme yesterday involved 300 women entrepreneurs from across the state.
KUCHING: The next-of-kin of individuals receiving welfare assistance must inform the authority in the event that the recipients have passed away.
In the case of those found still getting the aid even after the death of the recipients, they must pay the amount used back to the government.
Making this call, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim urged family members or next-of-kin to immediately report to the Welfare Department (JKM) on the death of the welfare recipients under their charge.
“This is to avoid JKM from continuing to channel assistance to the deceased,” she told reporters after officiating at the ‘Women Entrepreneurship Seminar 2014’ here yesterday.
According to her, such cases often occur in Peninsular Malaysia.
“Do not for once think that the welfare assistance can be misused as once detected, the next-of-kin would have to pay back the amount they’ve used (to the government),” she warned, adding that of all reported cases, only one had yet to be settled.
Meanwhile, Rohani commended the mechanism used by the state JKM, which required aid recipients to report to the department every six months.
“If recipients fail to report to JKM, the assistance will be suspended temporarily until we can confirm whether they are still alive or not. If they are still alive, we will continue to channel the assistance to them,” she explained.
Rohani also said her ministry would also be detecting deaths of recipients using the Agency Link-Up System (ALIS) run under the National Registration Department (JPN).
“Through the system, a list of those who have passed away will be given to JKM for review. If some involved recipients of welfare assistance, then we will cease the payment.
“I am confident that this approach will be effective as the documents from JPN are legit,” she said.