VARIOUS forms of assistance is channelled through the Sarawak Social Welfare Department (JKMS) and the Sarawak Women and Family Department (JWKS) to help single mothers who wish to run a micro business to improve their economic status, the State Legislative Assembly was told today.

Deputy Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Development Rosey Yunus said one of the forms of assistance was the ‘Bantuan Geran Pelancaran’ of RM5,000 in the form of equipment channelled through the JKMS.

“As of April this year, a total of 364 single mothers have received assistance and guidance from JKMS and are still active in business,” she said when replying to a question from Tiong King Sing (Dudong-GPS).

She said contribution of RM60 per month by the Sarawak government for the “Kasih Suri Keluarga Malaysia” programme was channelled through the JWKS fo household women heads or wives of household heads registered under e-Kasih for retirement purposes and to encourage them to save with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

Among the benefits they get under the initiative are an incentive of RM480 from the federal government, incapacitation benefit of RM5,000 and death benefit of RM2,500.

JWKS also provides training such as the Women’s Skills Training, Bounce Back Your Businesses and Sarawak Women Entrepreneur Licensing (Puwas) to improve the knowledge and skills of single mothers, Rosey said.

She added that the Sarawak Women Heads of Household Micro Assistance (Kirwas) was one of the state government’s forms of assistance for the group.

Single mothers are also assisted in micro businesses by other agencies such as the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment (Mintred), Sarawak Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Rural Development, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (Aim), Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (Tekun), Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and Majlis Amanah Raya (Mara), she said. – Bernama, May 20, 2022.