KUCHING: People facing social and other problems will soon have a platform to seek help and related support when the Kuching Community Social Support Centre (CSSC Kuching) project begins its operations on Sept 1.
Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said CSSC Kuching would operate from Wisma Hoholim at Jalan Abell here as a reference, support and integrated social intervention centre for groups at risk and affected by social issues or problems.
“Through CSSC, we will be able to collaborate and carry out social transformation by giving support and referrals of integrated interventions in the community, by providing a channel to report information on social issues, to detect, evaluate, screen, guide and provide support to individuals who are stuck with social problems or crises.
“Besides that, it will also provide awareness, advocacy, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and referral interventions for vulnerable, risky and affected individuals, families and communities,” she said after chairing a meeting on the operation of CSSC Kuching at her ministry yesterday.
Fatimah said the operation of the centre would be assisted by a non-governmental organisation (NG0) in collaboration with various other organisations and volunteers related to social support and intervention in Kuching.
“With the future operation of CSSC Kuching, we hope that the positive impact, especially social inclusiveness and community well-being of vulnerable, risky and affected groups who face social problems, will be strengthened.
“Hopefully the centre is able to be an integrated social intervention and support reference centre in a superior community in Sarawak and a model for others. Apart from that, we also hope that CSSC Kuching can further invigorate the spirit of volunteerism among all levels of society,” Fatimah stressed.
Earlier, she said that in line with the development of the economic and physical development as well as the post-pandemic effects of COVID-19, the prevalence of social issues in Sarawak showed a worrying trend.
She noted that the prevalence of social problems such as drug and substance abuse, property crime, domestic violence, sexual crimes against children and women, teenage pregnancy, marriage and divorce, mental health, bullying, cybercrime, aging, poverty, homeless and identity document problems as well as other related issues that affected the well-being of the community had spread to rural areas.
“The prevalence of social issues in rural Sarawak is at 56 per cent,” she said.
Fatimah said the CSSC Kuching project was a manifestation of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government’s commitment to balance development where physical, economic and social development were given appropriate attention to sustain community wellbeing for a dignified existence for vulnerable groups affected by social problems and crisis.
