Over 244,000 registered for SKAS initiative

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Abang Johari speaks during the press conference.

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BY ALEXANDRA LORNA & NURIN PATRA

KUCHING: To date, 27 percent of Sarawak’s eligible population, amounting to more than 244,000 people, have registered for the Sumbangan Keperluan Asas Sarawak (SKAS) initiative.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said that the initiative utilises digital vouchers distributed through the SPay Global application.

“Someone asked me, why is everything becoming digital? Why not give cash instead? What’s wrong with giving cash? We have evaluated the methods.

“I see that if it is given in cash, the cash might be used for other purposes. This is based on past experiences when we had the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) programme where sometimes it was used for other things. In the end, the situation didn’t improve; they were still struggling, even with cash in hand. Sometimes, they couldn’t even afford to buy groceries.

“Second, why not use vouchers? If we give vouchers, people might misuse them. For example, someone might say, ‘Here, take my voucher,’ and exchange it for cash, leaving the actual goods unpurchased.

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“We want to help ensure that families at least have rice at home for their households. That’s why we’re going digital. With digital vouchers, they cannot be exchanged, and our intention is clear,” he explained.

He said this in a press conference after his visit to the Sarawak Service Centre at the UTC complex here today (Jan 5).

Addressing concerns over accessibility in rural areas, Abang Johari said the government has implemented measures to resolve initial challenges, including improving internet connectivity with initiatives like Starlink installations and mobilising district officers to assist with registrations.

“The programme allocates RM450 million to support Sarawakians, offering up to RM800 per household annually.

“This amount, distributed via digital vouchers, translates to approximately RM70 per month for essential needs.

“We’ve worked hard to increase Sarawak’s revenue, and as our income grows, we aim to provide more assistance to the people,” he added.

He also said that he is optimistic that registration numbers will grow significantly as the programme continues to expand, with most issues expected to be resolved within six months.

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“There might be some hitches, but as we go along, things will smooth out. I’ve asked residents, district officers, and political secretaries to go to the ground and assist.

“If you change your phone number, inform SPay. This is about integrity and honesty. The government has provided this system to help, and our intention is pure, to aid the people as Sarawak’s revenue increases,” he said.

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