Sejambak Kasih Aidilfitri: Relief to needy Dalat folks

DALAT (March 12): A total of 150 aid recipients here received festive cash assistance and hampers during the Sejambak Kasih Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2026 programme here today.

Sarawak Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said the programme, organised by the Mukah Division Welfare Department, has been implemented for more than 20 years to provide festive contributions to welfare recipients.

She said the programme serves as a platform to distribute festive cash aid and hampers to recipients who celebrate major festivals in Sarawak, including Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Gawai Dayak, Deepavali, and Christmas.

“Recipients who are unable to attend the ceremony will have the festive cash contribution credited directly into their respective bank accounts,” she said.

Fatimah added that the initiative aims to ease the financial burden of recipients in preparing for Aidilfitri, while also reflecting the Sarawak government’s appreciation and concern for those in need.

At the ceremony, each recipient received RM100 in cash and a hamper worth RM80.

Fatimah said based on statistics from the Mukah Division Welfare Department, there are currently 581 Muslim welfare recipients in the district as of March this year.

She revealed that in 2025, the Welfare Department distributed RM23,867,250 in welfare assistance to 4,500 recipients across Mukah Division.

“Of the total amount, RM8,162,200 was channelled to 1,460 recipients in Dalat District alone,” she said.

Fatimah, who is Dalat assemblywoman, said that from January to March this year, 1,458 recipients in Dalat received assistance amounting to RM2,247,500 under various welfare schemes.

These include the senior citizens and children aid, general assistance, disabled workers allowance, assistance for caregivers of persons with disabilities (PwD) or bedridden chronic patients, and aid for PwD unable to work.

Meanwhile, she expressed appreciation to local business owner Jen Lim for contributing essential food items to the recipients.

“Such contributions will certainly help ease the burden of the recipients,” she added.