KUCHING, Jan 6: The Sarawak Endowment Fund (EFS) that provides RM1,000 for every Sarawakian newborn with one or both parents Sarawakian, born in or outside Sarawak, will continue through 2021.
The Ministry of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development in a circular dated Dec 30, 2020, highlighted that the initiative was introduced by the Sarawak government in 2019.
The EFS was introduced to provide support and to better secure the future of every newborn Sarawakian.
The fund will be credited into the child’s bank account and can only be withdrawn when the child reaches the age of 18. The fund can be used for admission into college or university or even as a capital grant to start a career in the future.
The fund is managed by Bank Islam based on the terms and conditions agreed upon between the bank institution and Sarawak government.
Applications can be made during registration of birth or within one year after birth.
Among the documents required include a copy of MyKid, a copy of the applicant’s birth certificate and a copy of the identity card of the applicant’s father or mother.
As for the adoption category, the applicant must have both or either one of the parents a Sarawakian holding MyKad with ‘K’ status and a valid Child Adoption Certificate issued by District Offices in Sarawak and/or National Registration Department must be submitted.
As for special cases involving underage parents, bankruptcy, blacklisted or mule accounts, single parents who are not citizens and jointly applied by non-legal guardians, applicants may appoint their nearest next-of-kin but it has to be verified by the EFS committee.
As for applicants with deceased parents, only legal guardians may apply for the fund and must go through a verification process by the committee.
The registration form may be obtained and submitted at all 52 branches of the National Registration Department in Sarawak or download via http://bit.ly/BorangEFS or via the iSarawakCare Mobile app which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
For more information, contact the EFS secretariat at 082.442050 or email endowmentfund.sarawak@gmail.com. — DayakDaily
