SHAH ALAM: Welfare programmes under the Localising the Selangor Economy (MES – Merakyatkan Ekonomi Selangor) agenda will be expanded so that more people with disabilities, children, senior citizens and the poor can receive care.
The Selangor Government has now identified 10,000 people who are classified under the aforementioned target group and is working to raise their standard of living.
So far, 538 people from the above amount have received assistance from the state government and have been removed from the clutches of poverty, said the Exco for Welfare and Women’s Affairs, Rodziah Ismail.
“We will continue to intensify so that the problem-free group percentage will increase from time to time,” she said in an exclusive interview with Selangorkini recently.
“I want to see the welfare of children guaranteed through policies or acts in this country, particularly in Selangor. We will only focus when there are cases such as abandoned babies, missing or raped children.
“The disabled should also receive their rights and live in a more conducive environment in Selangor. This is from the infrastructural standpoint and we will also touch on how this group can be assisted and given the opportunity to work and earn an income.
“For the senior citizens, we will focus on the establishment of Senior Citizen’s Centres which will take into account not just being a care centre but how senior citizens who are still productive can play a role in society.
“Lastly, are the marginalised groups such as those involved in drug addiction or have HIV. We will cheer them up and make them happy with early steps so that they will not continue to be marginalised in public life,” she said.
Rodziah, who is also the Batu Tiga assemblywoman, was appointed again as the Exco in charge of the women’s affairs and welfare portfolio.
For this second term under the MES, programmes such as SiTunas, SiKembar and Tawas will be enhanced and promoted more widely to gain public involvement.
She said that programmes such as SiTunas and SiKembar which respectively provide kindergarten and nursery assistance to parents with low-income can also help single mothers generate income.
“The SiKembar programme also places importance on the quality of care and at the same time, open opportunities for women such as housewives and single mother open care centres to generate income,” she said.
Rodziah also added that to add and look after welfare needs the involvement of all parties such as corporate parties and NGOs, and not just the State Government.
She stressed that the welfare efforts are necessary to make sure that the eradication of poverty can be achieved.
