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KUCHING, July 9: There should be wider publicity given to the various Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) aid programmes in rural areas, says Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
Uggah stated in a statement that this would encourage more target groups to join and benefit from their services.
He said the government also had many programmes, such as ‘Wanita Bangkit’, which aims to empower women who have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, or who are facing family problems or unemployment.
“This programme helps them as small entrepreneurs to rise up. It has always been the government’s intention, after bringing in roads, power, and water supplies, to help the rural folks to generate income through their own efforts.
“Here in the Betong parliamentary constituency, we still face unemployment and remnants of poverty.
“I would thus urge the womenfolk in the constituency who are already doing traditional handicrafts, biscuits, and kebaya dresses to roll up their sleeves in producing quality products,” he said when launching the ‘Wanita Bangkit’ programme under the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development (KPWKM) at the community hall in Spaoh, Betong today.
Uggah also said that new technologies should be used to boost production.
“If you do not go the extra mile, others will. For the marketing, we will help,” he added.
Meanwhile, KPWKM Minister Dato Sri Nancy Shukri, who was also present at the event, disclosed that 3,181 women had participated in the ‘Wanita Bangkit’ programme so far.
She said that those who were eligible and had registered for it would each receive RM500 in cash deposited into their bank account.
“They can then use it as small business capital,” she added.
Nancy also urged the people to join the relevant Perkeso programmes.
“There is a programme where members who pay as little as RM10 per month or RM120 per year will have something to fall on to in the event of an accident.
“My ministry is helping Perkeso to introduce their programmes to the rakyat now. Many do not know them and as such a lot has to be done,” she remarked.
Nancy and Betong MP Dr Richard Rapu were among the approximately 600 attendees. — DayakDaily
