REVISED: Fatimah indicates that the number of recipients in Samarahan division total 842. With her are Chuat and Zainal (right).
KUCHING: The minimum rate of monthly general aid (BA) for poor individuals or families in Sarawak will be raised to RM150 from RM60 effective Aug 1.
State Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said the State Cabinet which approved the increase also raised the base monthly income of those qualifying for the aid to RM830 from RM425 previously.
“The rate of income eligible for the aid is in accordance with the rates used by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development at the federal level,” she said at a press conference when announcing the new rate of the state general aid scheme at the State Welfare Complex here yesterday. Also present were Assistant Welfare Minister Robert Lawson Chuat and state Welfare deputy director Zainal Taram.
The government will be spending RM23.7 million for the aid from the current RM12 million.
The maximum quantum monthly rate remains at RM250 for households with more than two persons.
The new rate will match the eligibility rate per household monthly income of not more than RM830 set under the federal monthly aid scheme. The state will spend an average RM23.7 million annually in welfare aid under the new rate.
From January to May this year, 10,469 individuals are eligible for the aid, costing the state RM5.4 million. Sibu recorded the highest number of recipients at 1,986 followed by Betong (1,527), Kuching (1,395). Samarahan (842), Kapit (815), Bintulu (809), Sarikei (770), Mukah (681), Miri (571), Limbang (561) and Sri Aman (512).
A total of RM12 million in aid was dispersed to 10,619 individuals in 2012 under the current RM425 monthly household income rate.
“The general aid scheme is provided monthly by the State Welfare Department to individuals yet to be eligible for the federal monthly aid scheme such as household with children above 18 years of age, senior citizens below 60 years and handicapped individuals yet to be officially registered.
“The state general aid scheme provides a safety net to those who did not fulfill the federal aid scheme criteria. But once these individuals meet the requirement, conversions will be made accordingly,” Fatimah said.
Fatimah highlighted the need to raise the eligibility criteria considering the increasing cost of living. The state general aid scheme was last reviewed 13 years ago in 2000.
The current rate is not relevant to the economic situation which has become more challenging to today’s society, she said.
She said the current minimum RM60 monthly aid and maximum RM250 per month were much lower compared to the federal monthly aid scheme.
The federal rate are: RM100 – RM450 in children’s aid; RM300 in senior citizen’s aid; RM300 allowance for handicapped worker; RM300 allowance for disabled person or bed-ridden chronic patient and RM150 for handicapped person with working disability.
As of January to May this year, 43,541 individuals from the state benefited from the federal aid scheme, receiving RM59.9 million in aid. Last year, a total of RM122.9 million in aid was dispersed to 40,538 individuals.
The Dalat assemblywoman explained that applications for the PPRT low-cost housing scheme should be made through the Rural Development Ministry and not Ministry of Welfare, Women and Family Development.
Her ministry will help facilitate and support the applications.