Premier: Sarawak adopts digital approach for SKAS to prevent misuse of aid
Posted on 06 Jan 2025
Source of News: Borneo Post Online
KUCHING (Jan 5): Sarawak Basic Needs Assistance (SKAS) recipients will receive their financial assistance through a digital approach as opposed to receiving the aid in cash, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said this is to ensure that the recipients fully utilise the assistance to purchase basic necessities such as food supplies.
“Based on my observation, there had been abuse of previous financial assistance where many recipients did not utilise the cash aid to purchase food of basic necessities for their family.
“Similarly, with voucher-based aid, some recipients even resorted to exchange the vouchers for cash by selling them to certain parties and they would then use the money for other purposes.
“In view of this, the Sarawak government has decided to channel the SKAS via our e-wallet application SPay Global,” he told a press conference after paying a visit to the Sarawak Service Centre at the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) here today.
He said he was aware of the people’s concern in the government’s decision to implement a digital approach for the disbursement of the financial aid.
“Since we announced that SKAS would be distributed through the SPay Global e-wallet, I have received many enquiries asking why we decided to go digital instead of continuing the previous method of cash distribution or to give out vouchers.
“We have in fact evaluated these methods and I feel that if the recipients were to receive cash, they would not necessarily use them to buy rice or other food items.
“Our intention in providing SKAS is to ensure that eligible recipients make use of the aid to purchase essential items for their families,” he stressed.
Abang Johari (centre) stresses his point during the press conference while joined by Abu Bakar (left) and Abdullah (right). – Photo by Roystein Emmor
Regarding concerns that many rural residents, especially senior citizens, may not own smartphones or do not know how to register for SKAS, Abang Johari said he has instructed an administrative machinery comprising of Residents, district officers, local authorities, Sarawak Service Centre and other administrative bodies to be mobilised across Sarawak to assist in this matter.
“Eligible SKAS recipients are Sarawakians with identification cards bearing the ‘K’ indicator who reside in Sarawak and were recipients of the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) Phase 4 last year, based on the information from the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).
“For those who are not listed under STR but meet the eligibility criteria, they can submit their applications starting February 1 until March 31 this year,” he said.
He said SKAS will be launched in Serian division on Feb 18 with the financial aid to be disbursed to recipients’ respective SPay Global e-wallet starting from the same day onwards.
“Based on STR recipients list, a total of 886,288 individuals are eligible for SKAS thus far.
“This comprised of 410,529 households, 361,295 single individuals, and 114,464 senior citizens who are either without spouses or children,” he said.
He said recipients under the household category would receive assistance of RM800 which involved a financial implication of RM328.4 million whereas for single recipients who will receive RM250, the financial implication is RM90.3 million.
“For senior citizens without spouses or children, the assistance provided is RM400 with a financial implication of RM45.8 million.
“This brings the total value of SKAS to RM464.5 million, excluding new applications that will be submitted in the future,” he said.
He added that currently, around 244,000 or 27 per cent out of the 886,288 eligible Sarawakians have already registered to receive the SKAS.
Also present were State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki and Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and Ukas) Datuk Abdullah Saidol.
