Fatimah delivers her reply during the question-answer session.
AS many as 702 constituents in Layar have received welfare assistance, in various forms, worth a total of RM2.11 million, says Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
“The breakdown of the assistance for Layar constituency (as at October this year) is as the following: ‘General Aid’ for 197 individuals, ‘Children’s Aid’ (78), ‘Senior Citizens’ Aid’ (297), ‘Disabled Workers Allowance’ (23), ‘Chronic Illness Assistance’ (25), and ‘Unfit For Work Assistance’ (82),” said the Dalat assemblywoman in responding to Gerald Rentap Jabu (GPS-Layar) in the Assembly sitting yesterday.
For the period under review from January to October this year, the minister said the total number of welfare aid recipients in Sarawak stood at 52,747, receiving a total of RM144,887,194.
Fatimah pointed out that federal government funding accounted for the bulk of the aid.
“In Budget 2021 tabled by the Finance Minister on Nov 6, 2020, under the ‘First Integral Goal: People’s Wellbeing’, the federal government had agreed to raise the rate of the monthly welfare assistance,” she said.
According to Fatimah, there are two forms of assistance fully contributed by the Sarawak government – the ‘Bantuan Am’ (General Aid) and ‘Bantuan Belia Beliawanis’ (Assistance for Youths).
She said under Bantuan Am, ranging between RM200 and RM300, there were 10,808 recipients, while three had each received the RM200 Bantuan Belia Beliawanis.
“The state government has also given top-up contribution of RM50 a month, each to the ‘Children’s Aid’ and ‘Unfit for Work Assistance’ respectively.
“As at October 2020, the state government’s contributions stood at RM30,093,870,” said Fatimah.