By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Jan 13: The Sarawak government will establish temporary customer service counters in collaboration with resident and district offices to assist in the registration process for the Sarawak Basic Needs Assistance (SKAS) program.
Sarawak Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki highlighted the government’s awareness of challenges faced by certain groups, particularly those with limited digital literacy.
“To ensure every layer of society has access to this assistance, temporary customer service counters will be set up in collaboration with resident and district offices.
“These counters will be implemented in phases Statewide, starting on January 18, 2025, with the date for full implementation to be announced later,” he said in his speech at the Majlis Amanat Perdana event at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
He reassured recipients that SKAS claims can be made throughout the year, eliminating the need to rush.
“For those who meet the SKAS criteria but are not on the recipient list, online applications will be open from February 1 to March 31, 2025.
“The application process is not based on a ‘first come, first served’ system. It is open to anyone meeting the criteria but not listed as a recipient. Hence, applicants do not need to rush on the first day,” he said.
He also clarified that there is no need for applicants to visit the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) immediately, as applications can be submitted anytime within the specified period. Details about eligibility criteria and the application process will be announced soon.
He further encouraged the public to register for SarawakID via the SarawakID app to facilitate the online application process.
SKAS is a financial assistance program specifically designed for Sarawakians holding ‘K’ status identity cards, with digital financial aid expected to benefit over 850,000 recipients.
As of January 12, 2025, the Sarawak government has received 398,942 applications for SKAS assistance, representing 45 per cent of the target. – DayakDaily
