KOTA SAMARAHAN: Plans to offer discounts on flight tickets for Kenyalang Gold Card (KGC) holders are in the pipeline.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the plans would be put into motion once the state fully recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
“We understand that it is a difficult time for most businesses including the airline industry. Even though the state has resumed all domestic flights, overseas flights are only available for countries with less than 150,000 Covid-19 cases.
“This means that things are yet to return back to normal. But once things are better, we will propose the matter to all airline companies available in the state and we are hoping for positive feedback.
“I will not be able to say when in view of the current economic situation. We hope it will improve and Insya-Allah, we will put in the efforts,” she said, assuring the ministry was also working hard to attract more vendors to participate in the KGC programme.
Fatimah said this when met by reporters after visiting KGC vendor and strategic partner, H&L Supermarket, at Aiman Mall here on Sunday (Sept 6).
She revealed that currently, Freesia Express Bus service was offering a ten percent discount on bus tickets for KGC holders travelling within the state.
“They also give another ten percent discount when (KGC holders) are travelling in groups,” she noted.
She added that additional employees had also been hired as part of the state government’s initiative to assist the Social Welfare Department, particularly in the iSarawak Care digital platform.
“We know that the department has a lot of responsibilities. One of them is to manage the monthly assistance (provided through welfare schemes).
“We actually predicted that the number of people who would require assistance throughout the Covid-19 pandemic would increase. This means that the workload of the department will increase.”
Fatimah revealed that the KGC initiative was a hit with rural dwellers based on the number of Death Compassionate Assistance (BIK) applicants.
