By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, April 20: The Federal Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development has expressed support for the proposal to establish more senior citizen activity centres (PAWEs) in Sarawak.
Its minister Dato Sri Nancy Shukri noted that the 13 existing PAWEs across the State are inadequate to cater for an ageing society.
“Therefore, we encourage the community to establish PAWEs; preferably one PAWE in each parliamentary constituency.
“Meanwhile, the ministry will provide assistance not more than RM100,000 per year, upon application from the PAWE,” she said during a Hari Raya gathering with targeted groups held at Wisma Sabati here today.
Based on a previous report, Deputy Minister of Community Wellbeing Development Mohammad Razi Sitam has highlighted the need to establish a PAWE in each district as Sarawak moves towards having an ageing population by 2030.
He also said the establishment of PAWEs can only be materialised pending the Sarawak Ministry of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development’s approval and the local community’s endorsement to have such a facility in their area.
At the same time, according to a statement made available to the press during Nancy’s event today, the Federal ministry has also allocated a total of RM54,768,000 to targeted groups in Sarawak as of March this year.
Of the total, RM30,726,000 is for Senior Citizen Assistance (BWE); RM6,721,950 for Children Assistance (BKK); RM4,597,650 for People with Disabilities (PwD) Workers’ Allowance (EPOKU); RM3,599,000 for Care of Disabled Persons/Chronic Abandoned Patients Assistance (BPT); RM9,108,900 for Assistance for People with Disabilities (BTB); and RM14,500 for Foster Children Assistance (BAP).
Additionally, the Sarawak government has also topped up welfare assistance worth RM9,727,350 to the targeted groups for the corresponding period. — DayakDaily
