Search

279,300 senior citizens in Sarawak in 2016

Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
Telegram
Email

KUCHING: Sarawak has a total of 279,300 senior citizens in 2016, counting for 10.2 per cent of the total population.

Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Datuk Fatimah Abdullah disclosed this at her winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here yesterday.

In encouraging their (senior citizens) participation in various social activities, Fatimah said government had set up 22 activity centres and senior citizen service centres with more than 31,000 registered members.

She said the centres’ had started using National Senior Citizens Development Action Plan which includes health programmes, art, lifelong education, spirituality and economy.

“To maintain sovereignty of the local community, the children’s welfare in the high risk area also had been given an attention in order to prevent them to get engaged in social problems.

“One initiative which had been implemented by the government was the establishment of 14 Children Activity Centres (PAKK) which provide various programmes and activities such as revision class, indoor games, art, spirituality, motivation and life skill,” she said.

Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Child Development Datuk Hajah Fatimah Abdullah showing her ministry’s winding up speech. PHOTO: RAMIDI SUBARI

According to her, the centres have benefited 3,239 children in 2016.

Apart from that, she said government is currently strengthening Social Support Service for the senior citizens, the poor, homeless people and people with disabilities through skill training, care and rehabilitation.

“At the same time, to provide a more conducive environment, the government has approved a financial allocation amounting to RM36.8 million in the 11th Malaysia Plan to upgrade or build new welfare institutions such as Samarahan Rehabilitation Centre, Rumah Seri Kenangan Kuching and Rumah Seri Kenangan Sibu,” she explained.

.On the sovereignty of the poor and homeless people, she said the ministry has intensified efforts to enforce the Destitute Persons Act 1977.

She said, in 2016, the Social Welfare Department Sarawak(JKMS) had conducted six integrated operations and saved some 42 homeless people in Kuching, Bintulu, Miri and Sibu.

As of April this year, Fatimah said a total of three integrated operations had been conducted in Limbang, Kuching and Lawas, whereby four homeless people were rescued.

“In order to help those who have been saved, for those who still have relatives, they were handed over to their families, while for those unhealthy and without heirs, they are placed at the Rumah Seri Kenangan, while those who are healthy are placed at the Desa Bina Diri (DBD) Institution which was established to provide rehabilitation services and hands-on training in various skills in preparation to enable them to live independently in the community,” she added.

Download from Apple Store or Play Store.