Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email With nearly 70% of Malaysians living in urban areas, the focus should be also given to urban poor. Not only in low-cost apartment areas, but also in other housing areas and squatter areas.
A good number of urban poor are not aware of the government’s welfare aids which they are eligible for.
To correct this, Deputy Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk M. Saravanan yesterday held a fair to launch a “clinic” at the Desa Tun Razak flats to collect data on socio-economic problems faced by the city’s low-cost flat dwellers. The subsequent clinics will be held at all 25 low-cost flats in the cty.
K. Ramakrishnan, a labourer who earns RM700 a month and has a son attending Primary One, said he was not aware the government had a school uniform aid for the poor.
“I just heard Datuk Saravanan mention in his speech that there is such a scheme,” said Ramakrishnan.
“It would ease my burden if I received help to buy school uniforms and books for my son. But I was not aware of this as nobody informed me.”
Ramli Ismail, a vegetable seller, said the government should make this information more widely known.
“The clinic is a good effort and an eye-opener. There were many things I was not aware of, so there should be more of these programmes,” said the 48-year-old.
Mohd Zakaria Yusof, 42, said programmes like this should be organised more often.
“Don’t make it a ‘once in a blue moon’ thing. Some of us are uneducated and not sure where to go to seek help, so we appreciate this sort of effort from the government,” said Zakaria.
Saravanan said: “We would like to hold these clinics every Sunday, although this may be difficult because Ramadan is approaching. We want to complete these clinics in three months so that by the end of the year, we would have collected the data we want.”
Saravanan said Barisan Nasional lost a lot of votes at low-cost housing areas in the March 2008 general election because the government did not do much to address the plight of the poor there.
“That’s why I told the Prime Minister that we need a detailed study on the issues faced by those residing in low-cost flats.”
He also admitted that government agencies involved in giving aid to the poor should be more pro-active in reaching out.
“Many people are not aware of the various aids we have for the poor. For example, the hardcore poor do not know they don’t have to pay their flat’s rent. They also don’t know there are entrepreneurship programmes where we give training and loans to set up small businesses.”
Residents of the Desa Tun Razak flats yesterday flocked the many booths set up at the clinic yesterday.
Among the agencies present were the Welfare department, and KL City Hall’s housing department, poverty eradication department and health department.
http://mmail.com.my/content/78065-urban-poor-learn-about-eligibility-aid
