CNY cheer for over 7,300 welfare recipients

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A recipient receiving her ‘angpow’ from Fatimah.

A recipient receiving her ‘angpow’ from Fatimah.

MIRI: More than 7,300 members of the Chinese community in the state will receive special contributions from the Welfare Department (JKM) in conjunction with Chinese New Year (CNY).

Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said the aid aims at easing the burden of the recipients and to bring them festive cheer.

Speaking at the ‘Sejambak Kasih Tahun Baru Cina 2017’ jointly organised by JKM and Dynasty Hotel here yesterday, Fatimah said those invited to the event will each get RM100 ‘angpow’ along with a hamper worth RM50 from JKM and a hamper worth RM150 from Dynasty Hotel

The RM100 will be credited into the accounts of those who were unable to attend the event yesterday.

Fatimah said the state Welfare Department (JKMNS) had disbursed RM190,715,550 in monthly assistance to 57,047 recipients throughout the state in 2016 and from this total, 4,260 recipients from Miri received aid worth RM14,837,150.

The total amount was distributed under seven types of schemes, namely senior citizen (BOT), children (BKK), general assistance (BA), allowance for disabled employees (EPC), assistance for those taking care of disabled or bedridden recipients (BPT), assistance for the disabled who are not able to work (BTB) and assistance for children under care (BAP).

“Because of the high cost of living, the state government recently agreed to revise the income poverty line (PGK) to RM990 from the previous RM830 and we have improved the Sarawak disaster aid schemes for 2017.

“Starting Jan 2017, the added value implemented by the state government includes a 100 per cent increase in disaster victims’ rate aid, increase in urgently needed items, and housing aid not exceeding RM5,000 a year if necessary,” she said, adding the assistance is aimed at easing the disaster victims’ burden and is not compensation for losses suffered.

Fatimah also said many of the improvements came under the legacy of the late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s administration.

“Tok Nan (Adenan) cared so much about the welfare of the Sarawak people and did his best to help those in need,” she added.

Dynasty Hotel Miri has been organising the event for the past 15 years as part of their corporate social responsibility to help those in need.

Also present were Miri Resident Antonio Kahti Galis, Miri deputy mayor Julaihi Mohamad, Miri JKM representative Mordiah Sulaiman, Miri Fire and Rescue Department Head of Zone 6 Senior Superintendent 1 Law Poh Kiong, Dynasty Hotel managing director Tony Pui and other community leaders.