Details about Kenyalang Gold Card programme to be revealed soon

MIRI: The details about the Kenyalang Gold Card, a programme meant to benefit elderly Sarawakians, would be revealed soon, says Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sebastian Ting.

According to him, many Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) branches have been receiving enquiries from the public regarding this welfare card membership for the senior citizens, of which the implementation received approval from the Sarawak Cabinet late last year.

“We are in the midst of getting the information so that we would be able to brief those who have come forward to ask about it.

“As far as I know, the process is still on-going. Thus, we need to check with the (relevant) ministry to gain more information about the application process, before we can help those who have come forward to enquire about this,” Ting, who is also SUPP secretary-general, told reporters here when met at Miri Senior Citizens Service Centre’s gathering yesterday.

Last month, Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah announced that the Sarawak Cabinet had approved the Kenyalang Gold Card initiative, meant to allow Sarawakian senior citizens aged 60 and above to enjoy special privileges and discounts offered by the scheme’s participating partners across the state.

Moreover, she said the Sarawak government had allocated RM24.4 million for this programme, of which the registration was scheduled to commence in January.

According to statistics presented by Fatimah during a press conference here on Dec 13 last year, 16 per cent of Sarawak population – or 526,000 – in 2030 would consist of those aged 60 and above.

At present, Sarawak has 315,000 senior citizens aged 60 and above; from this number, 163,000 are men, while the rest are women.

Meanwhile, the gathering hosted over 60 members of the service centre – those whose birthdays were in January were treated to a birthday cake.

Miri Welfare officer Sarywati Fatryin Japadulin and the service centre’s chairman Wee Ah Siew were also present.