Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah (left) briefs her officers at the DUN Complex prior to attending the sitting.
KUCHING (Nov 22): Sarawak government has pledged to continue enhancing the protection of women, children, senior citizens and the less fortunate across the state under the 2023 Sarawak Budget.
In tabling the Budget yesterday, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said RM52 million will be set aside for various welfare aids such as Bantuan Am (General Aid) and Bantuan Bencana (Disaster Aid).
“A sum of RM21 million will be for Free Water Programme; RM15 million for Post-Natal Care Assistance; RM12 million for Kenyalang Gold Card (KGC) as death compassionate assistance for 4,000 beneficiaries of the elderly aged 60 and above.
“RM10 million for Endowment Fund Sarawak; RM10 million for financial assistance on Electricity Connection Charges; RM4.2 million as Special Grant for Kasih Suri Keluarga Malaysia that will benefit widows and single women registered under the National Poverty Database (eKasih) System,” he announced in his Budget speech.
Abang Johari also said RM3.75 million will be allocated for Low Income Household Empowering Programmes (e-Life) to assist 750 recipients towards uplifting their income through small business venture by providing them with starter kits and entrepreneurship skills.
He also informed the august House RM3.5 million had been set aside for awareness and intervention programmes for community wellbeing and RM2 million for Bantuan Pesakit Buah Pinggang (BPBP) to assist kidney patients to undergo treatment as well to purchase more haemodialysis machines.
“Apart from these financial assistances, the State Government will also provide allocation to establish centres for the disadvantaged and special needs community,” he said.
In addition, he said RM500,000 will be allocated for the setting up of Safe Haven for Homeless and Displaced Communities Centre in Bintulu and Miri.
According to him, such a centre will serve as a transit shelter to provide assistance and protection among the individuals and families facing social problems.
He announced another RM500,000 for the initial works to set up Special Needs Community Centre (SNCC) – a functional well-integrated and one-stop community centre for special needs community.
He pointed out that the concept moulded for this SNCC will be the first in Malaysia.
He said another RM2.2 million will be meant for setting up Community Social Support Centre (CSSC) that functions as a one-stop centre for social issues, problems, and interventions for the disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginalised families, and individuals like those having problems of addiction, homelessness, divorce, marriage and personal identification.