KOTA KINABALU – It is hoped that a RM30 million grant from the federal government will encourage government agencies in Sabah to open childcare centres in their premises.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun said Sabah should make use of this grant and set up the childcare centres, as applications can be submitted starting today.
She said this was among the initiatives of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
“Sabah is the biggest allocation recipient for its Welfare Department; out of RM2.3 billion allocated for the department under Budget 2021, RM345.9 million is for Sabah.”
Rina said this when launching the Kasih Prihatin programme organised by her ministry through the National Welfare Foundation (NWF) at the Sabah International Convention Centre here today.
She added that the Kembara Prihatin Negara programme under her ministry has collaborated with corporate bodies, which have donated RM622 million for those in need Sabah since last November.
Of the sum, RM100,000 was allocated for the distribution of food baskets to 10,000 needy families.
The government has also allocated RM2.5 million for 25,000 food baskets in Sabah.
“Overall, through the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) Covid-19 fund and special allocation under the Finance Ministry, the PN government has distributed 206,000 food baskets to families in Sabah, costing RM20.6 million,” she said.
Other assistance that benefited the people in Sabah include a RM300 one-off payment for 150,000 single mothers, benefiting 12,185 women, amounting to RM3.6 million.
The Kasih Prihatin programme saw donations from corporate bodies, including Alliance Islamic Bank (RM20,000 in school assistance for the hardcore poor in Sabah), MyNIC Bhd (five electronic tablets for poor students) and Ronald McDonald's House Charity Malaysia (RM2,000 to four orphanages in Sabah).
Earlier, Rina had launched the Sabah Disaster Victim Depot here, which was completed last December and can house up to 10,000 people. – The Vibes, March 21, 2021
