Wahap (front, third left), Daud (fourth left) and Dr Saadiah (fifth left) in a photo call with the aid recipients. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: House rent aid totalling RM21,720 was given to 15 families yesterday under the Urban Poor Eradication Programme (PPKB) to ease their financial burden.
According to Kuching North City Commission (DBKU), which doubles as programme implementer, the recipients were registered with E-Kasih, and the household income of each family was less than RM2,300 per month.
“The giving of rent aid forms part of the PPKB programme, which is meant to help urban dwellers who are living below the state’s poverty level,” said DBKU Datuk Bandar Datuk Abang Wahap Abang Julai before the simple presentation ceremony at DBKU headquarters in Bukit Siol.
The event was graced by Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, and also present was DBKU director Dr Saadiah Abdul Samat.
Since 2012, DBKU had disbursed RM82,728 to 56 families under this house rent aid programme. Yesterday’s event represented the fourth phase of the disbursement.
Abang Wahap said other approaches employed under PPKB included alleviating the recipients’ hardship, helping them to generate their own income, and providing education and training.
“These approaches should not be seen as solely to provide welfare aid, but rather a way to encourage families to break free from poverty.”
However, Abang Wahap acknowledged that all these efforts would be in vain if the recipients did not seek ways to improve themselves.
Urban poor, he said, was a social problem, and DBKU was working closely with related government agencies to help address the problem.