SKAS assistance reaches eligible residents in Dalat

DALAT (March 12): Eligible residents here have begun receiving assistance under the state government’s Sarawak Basic Necessities Assistance Scheme (SKAS) following the first phase of distribution on March 10.

State Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah officiated at the constituency-level launch of the SKAS 2026 initiative at the Dalat Welfare Complex yesterday.

Fatimah said the scheme provides targeted assistance to households, senior citizens and single individuals earning below RM5,000, ensuring families have sufficient food on the table while coping with rising living costs.

She added that the assistance will be distributed in three phases throughout the year, beginning March 10, followed by July 7 and Nov 10.

The programme was first launched on March 7 in Kuching by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, with the state government increasing the amount of assistance this year to better reflect the current economic situation.

“The initiative complements existing welfare aid, helping vulnerable groups meet their daily needs while encouraging long-term self-reliance through education and skills development,” she said.

Fatimah, who is also the Dalat assemblywoman, expressed her appreciation to community leaders, government agencies, non-governmental organisations and volunteers who assisted in verifying and updating poverty records in the e-Kasih national database to ensure aid reaches those who genuinely need it.

“Through SKAS and other welfare programmes, we hope to uplift the living standards of Sarawakians and provide relief to families facing hardship,” she said.

According to her, 585 residents in Dalat are currently listed as poor under the national e-Kasih database, representing a poverty rate of about 2.85 per cent in the district.

The figure was derived from 585 individuals out of Dalat’s total population of 20,498, based on the poverty line income (PLI) of RM2,182 per household.

Initially, 673 individuals in the constituency were recorded as living below the poverty line.

However, 88 names were removed following a verification exercise.
“Some were removed because they had passed away, while others involved duplicate entries where both husband and wife were registered separately in the e-Kasih database,” she said.

“There were also cases where individuals were no longer classified poor, while some were found to be residing outside the Dalat constituency,” she explained.

Fatimah said the district leadership remains committed to reducing poverty in Dalat by ensuring those who qualify but have yet to receive aid are recommended for welfare assistance through the Welfare Department.

“At the same time, we encourage families with children who have completed Sijil Pelajaram Malaysia (SPM) or Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) but are not working or continuing their studies to enrol in skills training programmes,” she said.

She highlighted training opportunities available at institutions such as the Centre of Technical Excellence Sarawak (Centexs).

“It is important for youths to acquire skills that can help them generate income and improve their livelihoods,” she added, urging residents to take advantage of educational opportunities provided by the state government.