By Nur Ashikin Louis & Crystal Wong
KUCHING: Sarawak National Youth Organisation (Saberkas) has allocated a sum of RM246,000 to assist the needy under the Saberkas Prihatin programme.
Its president Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the welfare assistance will benefit flood, landslide and fire survivors as well as needy families.
It will also cover the cost of gotong royong (communal work) programmes and those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The total allocation for the programme is RM246,000, targeting the involvement of 82 Saberkas branches that have been and will be established,” he said when launching the Saberkas Prihatin programme at Wisma Saberkas here on Monday (March 8).
Abdul Karim, who is also Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports, said the programme will be placed under and managed by the Saberkas Social and Welfare Sub-Committee in close collaboration with the Saberkas branches.
He mentioned that the programme is part of the organisation’s efforts to assert its relevance as a medium to empower youth in leadership training as well as nurturing the spirit of volunteerism.
“Through the programme, we can ensure that Saberkas continues to help those in need and acts as one of the main agents of unification and unity of the youth and community in Sarawak.
“We also want Saberkas to be a platform to channel their services and contributions to the society more effectively and efficiently,” he added.
Saberkas was established on July 21, 1972. It is a leading youth organisation and represents the voice of Sarawak youth. It functions as a platform for the youth to strengthen the unity, spirit and harmony that have existed for so long between races.
The organisation has conducted a total of 144 activities involving workshops, forums, skill courses, sports activities, social, community, welfare, education, training, economics and entrepreneurship as well as agriculture.
Also present at the launch were Saberkas vice presidents Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, Gerald Rentap Jabu and Michael Tiang; secretary-general Safiee Ahmad; organising secretary Aidel Lariwoo and Saberkas Social and Welfare Sub-Committee chairman Abang Abdul Aziz Abang Draup.
