By Jaythaleela K
MIRI, June 28: The Northern Sarawak Journalists Association (NSJA) is expanding its RM200 allowance for health screening to include Covid-19 swab tests, aiming at alleviating the financial strain faced by its members during this period.
This was disclosed by NSJA’s president Andy Jong Wan Joon today who said that the allowance which was implemented in 2016 with a maximum payment of RM100 over every two-year period, has been increased to a maximum of RM200 a year, since 2019.
Association members only need to produce the health screening official receipt to NSJA to claim the allowance of up to RM200 each in a single receipt.
“NSJA members can redeem RM200 from the association using official receipts from any laboratory or medical centre where they undertake their medical check-up.
“As much as we care for our members, the receipt or invoice is vital as proof that you have undertaken your health screening at any centre of your choice,” said Jong.
The receipt or invoice can be claimed from January 1 until December 31 this year.
Those whose tests cost more than RM200 will have to cover the remainder that exceeded the allowance limit.
Previously, the coverage for health screening member allowance was limited to conducting medical health check-ups and vaccination (hepatitis A / B and other vaccines), but this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, NSJA has decided expanding coverage to include Covid-19 swab tests.
Jong thanked Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin for contributing RM10,000 to implement the health screening allowance this year as the latter has done since 2018.
Established in 1974, NSJA has more than 90 members comprising practitioners of the print media representing Malay, English and Chinese language newspapers as well as electronic media representatives stationed in Miri in Northern Sarawak. — DayakDaily
