KUCHING: The welfare assistance for a five-year old girl Nuri Shafaraziah Abdullah here has not been stopped, said Minister of Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
She said however the assistance was being changed from the children assistance of RM100 to RM150 for people with disabilities (OKU) under the Community-Based Rehabilitation Centre (PDK).
“We found that the children’s assistance has been replaced,” she told reporters after handing over grants to Senior Citizens Activity Centre (PAWE), Senior Citizens Service Centre (PPWE), PDK, and non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Kuching at the Sri Satok PDK today.
She was asked whether the ministry would assist the child as it was reported that the welfare assistance has been stopped.
“The assistance was not discontinued. The new assistance is a little bit more than the previous one,” she said.
Fatimah added the Social Welfare Department’s assistance rate is subject to the one set by the government.
“The government knows that the assistance given is not much. That is the reason why the federal government had decided to increase the welfare assistance rate which will take effect next year,” she said.
She said aside from the assistance given by government, the ministry also welcomes the assistance channelled by corporate bodies.
Nuri’s mother Zaliah Ulis when met at her house at Kampung Pasir Pandak on Nov 16, said her daughter receives the assistance of RM150 monthly, but it was cut earlier this year as her daughter receives assistance from her school.
Nuri is diagnosed with Hurler syndrome, a rare lysosomal storage disease.
At that time Assistant Utilities (Water Supply) Minister and Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs and Kuching North City Commission) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi when visiting Zaliah’s house which was being repaired through the Home Improvement Programme for Sarawak’s Poor (PPRMS), told reporters that he followed up the matter with the Social Welfare Department.
