KUCHING: The Sumbangsih Raya-Gawai 2020 programme will distribute 10,500 packages to frontliners battling Covid-19 in the state.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah explained that the annual programme by the state government had been implemented since 1990 to express appreciation to enforcement and security personnel for their sacrifices in ensuring the state’s peace during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Gawai Dayak celebrations.
“From previous programmes, we have a list of agencies as recipients.
“However, since the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of personnel at the frontline involved in battling the virus and ensuring the state’s safety has also grown.
“Thus, the ministry and the Sarawak Women and Family Department (JWKS) have taken the initiative to increase the number of packages to be distributed to 23 agencies of Covid-19 frontliners,” she said during the Sumbangsih Raya Gawai event at Wisma Wanita, JWKS in Samariang, yesterday.
The 23 agencies are Sarawak Welfare Department (JKMS), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), General Operations Force (GOF), People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), Malaysia Immigration Department (JIM), Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDRM), local authorities (PBT), Ministry of Health (MoH), State Health Department, quarantine centres, screening centres, Divisional Disaster Management Committee (DDMC), Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), media, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), homeless shelters, Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), Road Transport Department (JPJ), Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), State Security Unit, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and Malaysia Prisons Department (JPM).
Fatimah added that for this year, five suppliers were chosen for the preparation of Sumbangsih packages, namely Persatuan Pengusaha Kek Lapis Sarawak, Dewanita Dubs Negeri, Koperasi Wanita Sarawak, Persekutuan Perkumpulan Wanita Sarawak and Recreational Club of JWKS.
“The delivery of the food products to Wisma Wanita started on April 29 and the calculation and quality monitoring session started since May 4.
“Meanwhile, the packaging process started on May 6 and as of today (yesterday), 5,000 packages have been completed,” she said.
Thirty staff of the JWKS was involved in the packaging process.
Also present were Community Wellbeing Assistant Minister Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, Sarawak Women and Family Department director Noriah Ahmad and the ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Saadiah Abdul Samat.
