STR A Vital Lifeline For Tongod Residents

By Khatijah Jistoh

TONGOD, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- For the residents of Tongod, Malaysia’s poorest district, the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) cash aid serves as a vital lifeline, offering crucial support for survival and reflecting the government’s concern for the needy.

The Department of Statistics Malaysia’s 2022 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIS) Report showed that Tongod had the highest hardcore poverty rate in Malaysia at 5.9 per cent.

A single mother from Kampung Tongod, Jolleta Salim, 45, shared that the STR aid had helped cover the medical expenses of her two children, aged 15 and 20, who suffered from thalassaemia and required follow-up treatment at the Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan, 190 kilometres from Tongod.

She said that the assistance had been a crucial source of support in helping her make ends meet as the head of the family, providing for her five children amid an increasingly challenging economic situation.

“STR has been a great help to all Tongod residents, especially those in need. Apart from treatment costs, I use it for my children’s school expenses and groceries,” she told Bernama.

Morven Janal, 44, from Kampung Kiliwatong, hoped the government would continue providing the STR aid, as it had been a great help to rural communities, particularly those without a steady income, like him.

The farmer, who had been suffering from sinusitis for the past four years, said he had used the STR aid to cover medical expenses, including travel costs to the Duchess of Kent Hospital, which exceeded RM100 for each specialist appointment.

“This assistance not only covers health costs but also helps with my family’s needs, including my five children’s education,” he said.

A housewife from Kampung Sanan Entilibon, Patrisiah Lumin, 44, shared that the STR, Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA), and the Early Schooling Aid (BAP) had been instrumental in helping her cover health treatment costs and education expenses for her five children.

“Our family income solely depends on my husband’s farming. With this assistance, we are able to buy books and school uniforms for our children and cover the costs of treatment for my high blood pressure and diabetes,” she said.

Patrisiah expressed hope that the STR and SARA assistance would be extended every year, as it was essential for improving her family’s quality of life.

She also suggested that other government initiatives, such as the Rahmah MADANI Sales programme, be extended to Tongod to help alleviate the cost of living.

Meanwhile, Tongod Community Development officer Kamrin Satah said that there were 1,082 STR recipients in the district, with 502 receiving cash vouchers and 580 being given the aid through their bank accounts.

“This STR aid is serving its purpose as it helps ease the burden of recipients, especially those with many dependents,” he said.

In the meantime, Kuamut assemblyman Datuk Masiung Banah said the STR assistance was a key initiative for the low-income group.

In addition to continuing aid like STR, he expressed hope that the government would introduce other programmes to help boost the income of Tongod residents, as most of them own farms with untapped potential.

-- BERNAMA