300,000 eligible for RM300 cash aid

KOTA KINABALU: The Covid19 2.0 RM300 cash assistance will roll out for an estimated 300,000 eligible recipients in Sabah starting early February, said Community Development and People’s Wellbeing minister Shahelmey Yahya.

He said this will be on top of the food basket assistance for more than 300,000 eligible recipients throughout Sabah.

“We will give [food baskets] to quarantined families, e-Kasih (recipients) and also the B40 (recipients). Besides the food baskets, with an estimated quantity of more than 300,000, the Sabah government is also reintroducing or will again be giving out the Covid-19 2.0 RM300 in the form of cash that will be credited to eligible recipients,” he revealed during his walkabout program at Wisma SEDCO here yesterday.

“Among the eligible recipients are, under my ministry’s targeted group, like single mothers, senior citizens, people with disabilities, children and orphans. Meanwhile, for other ministries like the Works Ministry, the targeted group include registered lorry drivers, registered mini bus drivers, and taxi drivers.

“For the tourism ministry are recipients like divers, tourist drivers, and others. The Agricultural Ministry would have their criterias. The Industrial Development Ministry would also have their criteria for the targeted groups, among others.

“We estimate more or less 300,000 recipients will receive the Covid-19 2.0 in Sabah, which will be channeled early next month,” he added.

Meanwhile, Shahelmey said the government will ensure that victims will receive the food basket assistance at flood stricken areas.

“We have contacted PKOBs or disaster control operation centres, chaired by the respective district officers, to ensure the targeted group or flood victims are contactable. Two weeks ago, I was in Pitas and witnessed the situation there myself. There is definitely loss of connectivity for several villages due to landslides, collapsed river banks affecting the bridges.

“So the supply was transported by air and there are also initiatives to send supplies through the river and sea.

“All affected by the recent flood disaster will be given assistance by the government. Indeed, we have to note that the recent flood disaster is the worst one in the past three years. So, indeed the effect of destruction or damage caused by the flood is quite large compared to the damage in the previous year,” he said.