KUCHING: Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today announced an allocation of RM50 million under the Senior Citizen Health Benefit initiative.
He said about 100,000 senior citizens would benefit from the initiative.
"Each eligible senior citizen will be entitled to RM500 cashless medical assistance to pay for their medical bills at the approved panel clinics," he said when tabling the 2025 State Budget in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly.
He said the assistance was aimed at the M40 and B40 income groups, many of whom were retired or without a stable income.
"As a government that will continue to protect the people, we will invest in healthcare, especially to assist our ageing population and empower them to take charge of their health."
He said the state cabinet recently approved the implementation of the Senior Citizen Health Benefit.
The premier also announced Sumbangan Keperluan Asas Sarawak (SKAS), another new and major initiative that aims to alleviate the financial burden of the people, especially those from the low-income groups who are most affected by the rising cost of living.
Abang Johari said SKAS provided financial assistance ranging from RM250 to RM800 annually.
He said Sarawakians with a household income of RM5,000 and below would receive assistance worth RM800, while senior citizens without partners and children with income of RM5,000 and below would receive assistance worth RM400.
He said single persons with income of RM2,500 and below would receive RM250.
"This assistance will help them to purchase basic food items such as rice, flour and cooking oil," he said, adding that the state government would allocate RM450 million next year that would benefit about 850,000 recipients.
"With this assistance, everyone will have food on their table."
He said most of the recipients of SKAS would also be receiving financial aid provided by the federal government under Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR).
Abang Johari, who is also the finance and new economy minister, said the state government would continue to implement welfare programmes to foster healthy families and communities, and social inclusivity.
He said these included RM15 million for the Sarawak endowment fund, RM14 million for maternity assistance to support maternal and child health, RM3.94 million for one-stop early intervention centres to provide essential services for special needs children and RM55 million for welfare aid such as general assistance, disaster assistance, medical assistance, assistance for the disabled unable to work (BTB) and school assistance.
He said RM4.7 million was allocated for haemodialysis assistance for kidney patients and RM15 million for the death compassionate assistance to ease the financial burden on families of deceased Kenyalang Gold Card holders.
"These initiatives reflect our commitment to improve the livelihood of the people, particularly those in vulnerable groups."