Sejahtera MADANI Initiative Offers Relief, Helps Boost Living Standards

PUTRAJAYA, July 24 (Bernama) -- The introduction of the Sejahtera MADANI initiative has brought relief to low-income and hardcore poor households, catalysing efforts to improve their standard of living.

Launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today, Sejahtera MADANI is a national initiative designed to support low-income and hardcore poor households registered in the National Poverty Data Bank System (eKasih).

Coordinated by the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department (ICU JPM), the initiative brings together various aid interventions across ministries, agencies, and the private sector to eradicate poverty through a focused and integrated approach.

A recipient, Noraini Ramli, 36, from Kuantan, Pahang, said that she received assistance through Sejahtera MADANI to expand her food business.

“I am thankful to the Prime Minister for the Sejahtera MADANI initiative. It will provide me the extra support I need to grow my business,” she told reporters today.

Lily Anak Nonong, 43, said the Sejahtera MADANI aid would help support her layered cake business in Sarawak and her family.

Another recipient, Nizam Aradin, 49, said he was deeply moved by the government’s assistance of RM80,000 to build a new house.

“This is a huge relief for us, as we had previously been living with relatives,” he said, adding that underprivileged communities are now better supported through government initiatives, along with the presence of officials and government MPs who are on the ground delivering aid directly.

“Previously, I didn’t receive any assistance because we hadn’t been affected. But after my wife was hit by misfortune and life became difficult, help finally reached us. They came forward to assist,” said the Tanjung Karang, Kuala Selangor native.

Meanwhile, single mother K. Vasanthi, 57, who received RM3,000 in welfare aid, said the government assistance has brought much-needed respite from her financial difficulties.

“I’m a single mother with a heart condition and currently unemployed. My late husband was a government servant, but he passed away 19 years ago. I only receive his pension, which is RM485 a month. That’s my sole source of income,” she said, adding that the assistance matters a lot as she is also caring for a wheelchair-bound in-law.

In a statement issued in conjunction with the launch, ICU JPM said Sejahtera MADANI, which is anchored in a whole-of-nation approach, has been further strengthened with additional elements, focusing on delivering higher-impact and more sustainable programmes or assistance to heads of households (KIR) and household members under the eKasih with four key areas: income generation, education, housing, and welfare.

As of July 15, a total of 306,403 KIR have been recorded in the eKasih nationwide, comprising 1,017 classified as hardcore poor and 305,386 as poor.

At the event, 16 selected eKasih KIR from across the country received assistance under the Sejahtera MADANI initiative.

-- BERNAMA