(Kuching Jan 9) The Secretary of the Sarawak DAP Youth George Lam Li Kang pointed out that the Sarawak basic supplies aid fund should be fully distributed directly through bank accounts to further reduce the technical issues people face when applying for the aid through the Sarawak payment application.
He fully supports the move by the Sarawak government to use its financial advantage to distribute the basic supplies aid fund to reduce the cost of living for the people.
"But according to the current situation, the restriction that people must apply through the Sarawak payment application has caused many technical problems, leading to widespread concern."
He revealed that a surge of people flocking to urban transformation centers and Sarawak payment center service centers in shopping malls to inquire not only added distress to the people's lives but also burdened the officers handling a large number of applications and inquiries.
"Moreover, if elderly family members without smartphones are beneficiaries of the aid, they must purchase a smartphone to download the application to further receive the aid, which undoubtedly adds an additional expense for a smartphone to the aid, defeating the true purpose of the aid."
George Lam Li Kang stated in a press release today that he is pleased with the recent announcement by Siti Fatimah, the Minister of Sarawak's Women, Family, and Social Development, indicating that all people receiving monthly welfare aid under the welfare bureau can receive the Sarawak basic supplies aid directly through their bank accounts.
He hopes that this measure should not be limited to people receiving monthly welfare aid under the welfare bureau but should instead be extended to all beneficiaries, allowing everyone to receive aid directly through their bank accounts and reducing unnecessary trouble.
"If everyone can remember, during the pandemic, the Sarawak government also issued a similar I Love Sarawak special aid fund, which was distributed based on the annual federal living aid database directly through bank accounts to all beneficiaries, allowing people to receive aid directly without running around to solve technical problems to receive the aid."
Therefore, George Lam Li Kang urged the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Abang Johari, to rescind the decision and avoid using an immature system to unnecessarily complicate people's lives.
"Immediately instruct the Sarawak Economic Planning Unit (EPU) to use the existing Sarawak compassionate aid beneficiary database to distribute the Sarawak basic supplies aid fund directly through beneficiaries' bank accounts to all eligible Sarawak residents, recognizing their hardships, and allowing people to benefit directly."