Fatimah (third right), accompanied by Rosey (third left), Francis (second right) and Ting (right) and others giving the thumbs up with some of the strategic partners who signed the MOU in Tuesday’s ceremony. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: The ‘Death Compassionate Assistance’, one of the benefits of the Kenyalang Gold Card (KGC), is only for the next-of-kin of card holders who had passed away, clarified Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
She said there has been a slight confusion among applicants who thought they could get the RM3,000 assistance once they got their cards.
“KGC holders will not get this assistance immediately. It is only for the next-of-kin of eligible card holders. It is for them to cover the funeral expenses of the deceased,” she said at the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing with KGC strategic partners Tuesday.
Fatimah informed that as of February 10, there are 74,613 senior citizens who have applied for KGC throughout the state during this interim period before the official launch on March 7.
“They represent 22 per cent of the estimated 334,500 senior citizens in the state.
“In Kuching, a total of 19,515 applications have been received,” she said, adding that the least so far is in Serian with only 1,726 applications but it could be due to applications been made in Kuching or other nearby areas.
Fatimah reminded that KGC is for the benefit of every senior citizen (aged 60 and above) and not just confined to the lower income group or the needy, so everybody are welcomed to apply.
“Besides being an initiative to improve the well-being of senior citizens, the KGC is also an opportunity for the community to give back to society by offering benefits that contribute to quality life of the elderly,” she said.
Currently there are more than 40 strategic partners throughout the state, with most of them concentrating in Kuching, Miri and Limbang, and the minister hopes that more companies in other parts of Sarawak will come forward to register as strategic partners.
The list of strategic partners so far are Samba, Fitflop, Cafe Cafe, Wonderboom, Poppies, Guan Ho Leong, Suriah Indah Health Clinic, Shine Pharmacy Sdn Bhd, Alpro Pharmacy, Mata Clinic & Optometrist Sdn Bhd, Chan Funeral Services, Mahsuri Ria Sdn Bhd (Choice Supermarket), Canaan Physiotherapy Enterprise, Newday Pharmacy, Sarawak Medical Centre Sdn Bhd (Normah Medical Specialist Centre), Rajang Energy Sdn Bhd, Plaza Merdeka, The Spring Kuching, The Spring Bintulu, Hydrogen Bus, H & L Retail Sdn Bhd, Win Life Shop, Freesia Express Sdn Bhd (Kuching, Sibu, Sarikei, Bintulu, Miri), Des Optics Sdn Bhd, Vision World Optics, Vision Care Optics, U-Look Optics Sdn Bhd. Eyeglasses Shop (M) Sdn Bhd, Goodrich Optical Centre Sdn Bhd, Bright Smile Dental Clinic, S Ahmad & Sons Limbang, P & J Health Group, Agensi Pekerjaan T.S.G Sdn Bhd, Limbang Optical Centre, Limbang, Eng Kong Drugstore, Limbang, Thai Tom Yam Seafood Cafe & Catering, Hung Hua Tailor, Jack Salon (Limbang), Clh Enterprise (Limbang), Star Health Foot Reflexology Centre and Hao Wei Restaurant, Lawas.
Also present at the MOU signing ceremony were Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus, Assistant Minister of Community Well Being Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, Assistant Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sebastian Ting, Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr Saadiah Abdul Samat, Women and Family Department director Noriah Ahmad and others.