KUCHING, Aug 12: Sarawak government will be unveiling an one-off financial assistance for all new mothers in the upcoming Sarawak Budget 2020 announcement at the end of this year.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said new mothers, especially those with lower income, daily wages jobs or even unemployed would be the ones needing this financial assistance the most to cover expenses for their newborns.
“The state government is considering giving financial aid to new mothers in the state especially those with daily wages because they would not be paid throughout their maternity leaves.
“This is the time they really need the money to buy milk, diapers and other things for their newborn babies,” he told reporters during the Satok Hari Raya Korban event here this morning.
Abang Johari said statistics showed an average of 40,000 children are born per year in Sarawak. This would mean that the state government have to consider providing assistance to some 40,000 mothers in the state per year.
“This would include full time employed mothers as well. We don’t want to discriminate. But this assistance would be most beneficial to lower income mothers,” he added. — DayakDaily
