Over 110,000 Social Welfare Dept aid recipients qualify for Prihatin Kasih assistance

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 -- A total of 110,284 Social Welfare Department aid recipients out of 300,000 households across the country qualify to receive assistance under the PRIHATIN Kasih programme implemented by the government through the Strategic Programme to Empower the People and Economy (PEMERKASA).

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said the recipients include the urban poor groups, based on crosschecks of the department and e-Kasih databases with the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) database.

“The PRIHATIN Kasih programme, with an allocation of RM100 million, was announced as a PEMERKASA package to help alleviate the living costs for the urban poor.

“PRIHATIN Kasih recipients who qualify will receive an SMS from MyKasih to confirm their status as aid recipients under the programme, along with the date and time for an orientation briefing at the nearest grocery store,” she said in a statement today.

The household item assistance, which is channelled cashless through the use of the MyKad, involves monthly aid of RM100 for three months for purchase of necessities based on each household’s choice.

The programme involves over 300 supermarket chains and stores throughout the country, including Mydin, Giant, Econsave, The Store, Pacific, Milimewa, 99 Speedmart, Lotus Stores (Tesco) and grocery stores.

Meanwhile, Rina said that the ministry, through the Social Welfare Department, has also prepared an online Welfare Assistance Scheme application facility through the official department website at www.jkm.gov.my or ebantuanjkm.jkm.gov.my.

Those seeking further information and assistance can contact Talian Kasih 15999 or WhatsApp 019-2615999, which operates round the clock.

-- BERNAMA