MARKING MOTHER’S DAY: Fatimah (sixth right), Zaiton (seventh right), Hasidah (fifth right), Rodziah (fourth right) and others at the cake-cutting ceremony at the high-tea. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: The monthly welfare allowances for eligible children, who are physically challenged (OKU), and senior citizens will be revised following the recent minimum wage policy.
Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said the allowance rates had not been revised for ages, but the ministry would look into the exercise carefully.
“We need to have a thorough discussion before arriving at any decision. The fact is that allowances for different target groups have not been revised for a long, long time.
“At the same time, we will have to look at the implications as well. But definitely, I feel it is high time for a review,” she told the press after attending a Mother’s Day event here yesterday.
Fatimah, who is also Dalat assemblywoman, pointed out that welfare allowances are divided into federal and state levels.
“Of course, I feel that those under federal should be reviewed too. As for the state, we will have to discuss and then table it during the state cabinet meeting.”
At state level, she said eligible children of single parent would be given a monthly assistance of RM100 per child.
“For this BKK, which is Bantuan Kanak-Kanak, one child will be entitled to RM100 and the maximum is RM450. In other words, if there are five children in a family, the maximum we can give is RM450.”
As far as OKU are concerned, she said those employed (aged 18 and above) would receive RM300 every month.
She added that unemployed OKU would be given only RM150 every month.
“The rationale for the difference is to encourage them to work. However, OKU who earn RM1,200 and above a month will not be eligible for the monthly allowance.”
Fatimah stressed that the ministry would review all welfare recipients on an annual basis to ensure that the assistance benefited the target groups.
“We are left with no choice but to do a review every year. We have come across cases where the senior citizens had passed on, but no one informed us of the demise.”
On Labour Day, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that the minimum wages for workers in Peninsular Malaysia had been set at RM900 a month while for Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan, RM800.
He said the minimum wage would cover workers in all sectors of the economy except for the domestic helpers, gardeners and similar employment categories.