By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Nov 28: The Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Ministry has proposed that the Sarawak government provides RM3,000 as burial fund for Kenyalang Gold Card holders.
Its minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the burial fund is to benefit Kenyalang Card Gold holders who do not receive any assistance.
“For the Gold Card, we are proposing when a card holder passes on, there will be assistance called Burial Fund,” she told a press conference here today.
She added that there are those who are already entitled to such assistance, such as the civil servants and Social Security (Socso) members.
“Let’s say for civil servants, if a pensioner passes on, there will be a Burial Fund of RM3,000. So if you are already entitled, then you will not be eligible to get it.”
Fatimah cited those with no such entitlement such as fishermen, farmers, B40 group, those who do not work for the government, those who are not working of the private sector or not having Socso, that are eligible if they are Gold Card holders when they passed on.
She said the burial fund helps arrangement for a decent funeral including the payment for hearse, coffins, burial services and others.
“So we are proposing the burial fund, but of course, there are terms and conditions. For example, if they are formally civil servants, then they are already entitled, so they will not get,” Fatimah continued.
She said the amount proposed will be the same as what a retired civil servant will be receiving, which is RM3,000.
Fatimah added that there are many assistance from the Sarawak government, from birth to death, and all services provided by the ministry will be included in i-KWKPK — a comprehensive application of the ministry, which is now in the designing and proposing stage.
This proposal, she stressed, came about as they were those who could not afford a funeral for their elderly.
There are NGOs who have been extending such assistance to those in need, said Fatimah, but burial fund will be the Sarawak government’s initiative in helping Sarawakians who have limited or no resources to cope with the last rite.
Kenyalang Gold Card is the ministry’s initiative to provide benefits to Sarawakians above the age of 60. The ministry will propose the initiative to the cabinet this December and it is expected to be implemented next year.
Card holders may enjoy a certain percentage of discounts when shopping with the vendors registered with the ministry.
— DayakDaily
