As a state with the third highest number of hardcore poor families in the country, 40,938 households in total based on eKasih data as of Feb 15, 2022, the Rahmah cash aid (STR) payment is a very meaningful gift to the poor in Sabah.
A total of RM272.1 million has been allocated for 797,000 recipients in the state.
Single mother Normala Aziz, 38, said apart from using the extra cash for her children's schooling needs, she would also set aside a certain amount for working capital to generate income through the sales of her local cakes and nasi lemak.
"This is important so that I can earn some regular income and not just rely entirely on government assistance such as the STR payment which is not given monthly. But I do hope that this STR initiative will continue in the future," she said.
Sharing the same sentiments, pisang goreng vendor Suriana Masair, 38, said she would use the money to stock up flour, cooking oil and other items needed to run her business as investment for long-term returns.
"In this way I hope to generate more income to meet my household needs in addition to paying the stall rental," she said while recommending other recipients to make good use of the cash aid such as expanding their business to break loose from the shackles of poverty.
The STR cash aid also means a lot to a housewife only known as Khadijah, 36, who said the financial assistance was to buy vegetable seeds and fertilisers to grow vegetables such as mustard, bitter melon, okra and bird’s eye chili which would be helpful with the increasing price of food and raw materials.
Meanwhile, Mesej (Mini Estete Sejahtera) participant from Lanung, Tongod rural district, Neklos Ansuni, 39, said the financial aid from the government is very much needed when faced with unforeseen problems such as the unpredictable weather which affects rubber tapping.
"As a rubber tapper in the interior area, my income is determined by the weather and on top of that rubber prices have fallen. It is only appropriate for the government to take the necessary steps to protect the welfare of those who are fully dependent on agricultural products," he said while commending the Mesej programme which has helped him a lot.
Also welcoming the STR payment is Elopura Chinese community chief in Sandakan, Captain James Leong who said the aid from the government is very much appreciated by the people, but it would be better to seek an alternative approach to give some form of assistance which could give a more lasting impact to recipients.
"The recipients should be guided on how best to make the money work for them to improve their economy so that they do not have to worry about their food stock running out," he said.
Meanwhile, Lahad Datu district officer Firuz Idzualdeen@Benetty Mohd Dzul opines that if the STR recipients could use part of the aid to change their living standards this could end extreme poverty in the district.
The 700 household heads in the district could be enlisted as settlers under the Federal Land Development Board (Felda) scheme, he said.
"We will forward this proposal to the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and it would be up to EPU and Felda to decide as we see that the Felda land (in this district) is a vast area and there are less than 2,000 settlers, so this is one way of helping the hardcore poor here," he added.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency