BINTANGOR: A mobile outreach initiative by the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) is helping communities better understand and access key welfare initiatives introduced by the Sarawak government.
Meradong assemblyman and Meradong SUPP’s Chairman, Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing, said the Mobile Service 2 U programme adopts a ground-level approach to strengthen information delivery so the public can better understand government policies and assistance schemes.
He said the initiative has been particularly helpful in addressing enquiries on the ‘Sumbangan Keperluan Asas Sarawak’ (SKAS) and the Kenyalang Gold Card (KGC), especially among senior citizens who are less familiar with smartphone technology.
“SUPP carries out this mobile service almost every weekend to help the public obtain information and clarification regarding the various assistance programmes provided by the government,” he added.
“Currently, we receive many enquiries about SKAS, the Kenyalang Gold Card and other government aid. Therefore, this initiative is implemented to ensure that the public receives accurate explanations about the benefits offered.”
He said this at the SKAS launch for the Meradong state constituency here on Wednesday.
According to Ding, the initiative was introduced by SUPP President, Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, and is carried out at easily accessible public locations such as coffee shops to enable people to seek assistance and advice directly.
He added that the programme also serves to ensure aid from both the party and the state government can be delivered more effectively to the community.
Ding acknowledged that some SKAS recipients, particularly among the elderly, face challenges using smartphones.
To address this, he said SUPP volunteers assist by installing the necessary applications and contacting the children of elderly recipients to help them use the Sarawak Pay application, allowing them to utilise SKAS assistance at participating premises.
Ding expressed confidence that within the next few years, senior citizens would become more adept at using smartphones and digital payment applications such as Sarawak Pay.
