Minister Nancy Shukri urges wider outreach in Sarawak as many needy residents remain unaware of available federal welfare assistance.
KUCHING: Many needy Sarawakians may be missing out on federal welfare aid and financial assistance schemes they are fully entitled to, simply because they do not know such help exists or lack the means to apply for it.
Minister for Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri raised the concern at a Hari Raya gathering in Kuching, calling for stronger community outreach to ensure government assistance reaches those who need it most.
“There are many out there who are in need and eligible for government assistance but may not be benefitting from welfare aid because their names are not on the approved recipient list with the Welfare Department,” she said.
Nancy identified several barriers keeping eligible recipients from accessing aid.
Some are simply unaware of the schemes available to them. Others lack the digital literacy or access to devices needed to submit online applications.
Many live in remote, hard-to-reach areas with no reliable transport to reach welfare offices in towns and cities.
“That is why community heads, village leaders, and non-governmental organisations must play bigger roles in reaching out, disseminating information, and helping these groups register,” she said.
Beyond financial assistance, Nancy highlighted that a range of health benefit schemes has also been made available specifically for lower-income Malaysians and senior citizens aged 60 and above — programmes that many eligible recipients may equally be unaware of.
She added that Putrajaya is currently drawing up a national blueprint on the welfare and care of senior citizens, with a focus on keeping the elderly active and contributing meaningfully to society and the economy.
Sarawak has a population of approximately three million, with around one million residents living in rural districts — communities that are often the hardest to reach and the most likely to fall through the cracks of existing welfare distribution systems.
The Sun Malaysia
