SARIKEI: A total of 8,135 aid recipients, or 14 per cent of the total beneficiaries in Sarawak, will receive contributions amounting to RM813,500 through the Sejambak Kasih Programme in conjunction with Chinese New Year 2025.
Women, Early Childhood Development, and Community Wellbeing Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said that the programme, spearheaded by the Sarawak Social Welfare Department, has been a tradition for over two decades.
It provides cash assistance of RM100 and festive hampers worth RM80 to eligible recipients during major festive seasons.
“The contributions distributed today are intended to bring joy to recipients of monthly welfare assistance under various schemes.
“For other Chinese aid recipients, the additional contributions will be credited directly into their bank accounts,” she said during the programme launch at the Sarikei Innovation Centre (SIC) today (Jan 20).
Fatimah added that the Sarikei Division Social Welfare Office has identified 546 Chinese recipients of monthly welfare aid within the division.
“Due to physical and mobility constraints, only 100 recipients could attend the event today.
“The remaining contributions, totalling RM20,705, will be credited to the respective bank accounts to ease their burdens and spread festive cheer during this significant celebration,” she added.
On the same note, Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii, the Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability and Sarikei MP, provided an extra RM50 to each of the 100 attendees, represented by Pemanca Chan Phan Chan.
Also present were Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Law, MA63, and Federal-State Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, Sarawak Social Welfare Department deputy director Noorhayati Abdul Rahman, and Sarikei Division social welfare officer Uwieng Gimos.
