State to continue ‘Sumbangsih Kuih Raya’ programme

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Juma’ani (third left) symbolically presents the RM20,000 to Fatimah. From left are Noriah, Abang Johari, Masing, and Abdul Karim.

KUCHING: The state government will continue its ‘Sumbangsih Kuih Raya’ programme next year in appreciation of enforcement agency personnel in Sarawak, particularly those on duty during the festive season.

Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said the state is willing to consider increasing distribution should there be more agencies receiving the contributions.

The annual programme started in 1990 through the then Women’s Bureau, which is now the Women and Family Department.

“We started off with only two agency recipients namely the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) involving the distribution of 2,000 boxes of kuih raya.

“The number of recipients has grown since then and this year, we will be distributing 8,000 boxes to 10 enforcement agencies,” she said at the distribution ceremony officiated at by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg yesterday.

She said the state government has allocated RM200,000 this year for the programme held in connection with Gawai Dayak and Hari Raya Aidilfitri, while the Association of Wives of Ministers and Assistant Minister of Sarawak (Sabati) has donated RM20,000.

“We hope that by distributing the kuih, it will at least cheer up the enforcement officers who have to be on duty during the festive occasion,” she said.

She said the two new recipient agencies are the Civil Defence Force and People’s Volunteer Corps.

Besides ATM and PDRM, the other agencies are Fire and Rescue Department, State Prisons Department, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Immigration Department, Royal Malaysian Customs Department, and Road Transport Department.

Among those present during the ceremony were Sabati president Datin Patinggi Datuk Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang – who is Abang Johari’s wife; Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing; Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah; and Women and Family Department director Noriah Ahmad.