Fatimah hands over a mock cheque for RM10,000 to Pawe Song chairman TR Sylvester Panan Ragai, witnessed by (from left) Women and Family Department Sarawak director Noriah Ahmad, Kapit Welfare officer Dariel Thiong and Blikau.
KAPIT (August 1): The committee members of all Senior Citizens Activities Centres (Pawe) and Senior Citizens Service Centres (PPWE) must be pro-active in planning the activities for the elderly folk.
Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said it is understandable that senior citizens are highly prone to feeling lonely and experiencing depression.
“Those who run the Pawe and the PPWE must make sure that they would at least run activities one a month for the members.
“It is very important that every programme highlights socialising among one another and also for the activities to create a harmonious environment.
“I also believe that Pawe and PPWE should promote the Kenyalang Gold Card (KGC) to those aged 60 and above as there are many benefits that come with the membership,” said the minister in her speech during the launch of Pawe for Song District on Friday.
Fatimah also launched the KGC programme for the district, hosted an appreciation ceremony for the local KGC strategic partners, handed over the funeral expenditure assistance under Tabung Ikhsan, and also presented funds to Pawe Song.
According to Fatimah, Pawe Song has registered some 200 members – the majority of whom are women.
Pawe Kapit, on the other hand, has registered some 300 members who are mostly men.
At state level, there are 13 Pawe with 18,000 members, while for PPWE, there are 30,000 members in Sarawak.
For the record, Pawe is run under the federal government while PPWE is under the state government.
At the Friday event, Fatimah presented KGCs to local residents including Katibas assemblyman Dato Sri Ambrose Blikau Enturan and his wife, as well as local community leaders, longhouse chieftains and residents.
She also handed over the RM3,000 funeral aid under KGC to the next-of-kin of the late Lam Yieng, late Melampen Gang, late Anan Endau, late Jan Serumbang and late Pasang Tabah.
The minister also gave away tokens of appreciation to KGC strategic partners in Kapit and Song districts, namely Goodness Groceries, Kedai Hock Lai, Borneo and Co, Kooperasi Song-Kapit Bhd, All Care Pharmacy and PMG Pharmacy Sdn Bhd.