SHAH ALAM, 23 Jan: The Skim Mesra Usia Emas (SMUE – Senior Citizens Scheme) will introduce an additional incentive specially to celebrate the birthday of members.

Through this incentive, each eligible senior citizen registered will receive RM500 each year to celebrate their birthday.

The SMUE Chief Operating Officer, Kamsani Nasir, said that this incentive is another added value from the SMUE for senior citizens who are still alive to enjoy the wealth of the state.

“This incentive is still at the proposal stage and it will be implemented after it is agreed upon and approved in the State Government Council Meeting (MMKN).

“As of now, we have several forms of delivery methods which we think is appropriate. We will look at which method is the most effective and rational to be implemented,” he said.

Previously, the SMUE introduced the ‘Jom Shopping’ (Let’s Go Shopping) programme as an added incentive by giving RM100 shopping coupons to each of its members.

Since its launch in July 2011, over 102,836 senior citizens were taken shopping at selected stores with a expense of RM10.284 million.

“At this age, senior citizens suffer from ‘birds nest syndrome’, where they feel lonely sitting at home while their children are away at work or living separately.

“With this Jom Shopping programme, it gives them a chance to meet old friends or meet new people from outside their village. We saw happiness at the time, in addition to the opportunity to shop for their necessities,” he said.