Azlan Othman
The new centralised National Welfare System (SKN) to be launched on July 15, will play a role to assist recipients to get rid of poverty and to change their mindset from relying on Monthly Welfare Assistance (BKB) from the government and to get employment, entrepreneurship by enhancing or engaging skills.
This was said by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin during a press conference yesterday.
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports is the custodian of the SKN.
“There is no restrictions to apply to this scheme for the monthly assistance. But it will be analysed.
“Based on the official figures, out of 5,812 recipients of monthly assistance until December last year, 60 per cent are able bodied and able to work but unemployed. Through this centralised system, we can conduct an intervention plan.
“Last year, the Community Development Department (JAPEM) managed to provide jobs to 260 recipients of monthly assistance and their dependents.
“To break the poverty cycle, we should not focus on the head of family but his/her dependants as well especially their children.
“A task force will look into this which is in line with the poverty eradication plan and not to rely on monthly assistance,” he said.
The minister also said they are targetting to give 500 recipients of BKB jobs as against the current 260 recipients.
Through the Youth Development Centre, last year, almost 200 BKB recipients joined the food industry, tailoring jobs and also started entrepreneurship. Grants to start entreprenuership via PROPAZ (Asnaf Zakat Empowerment Programme) or Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, programmes organised by DARe (Darussalam Enterprise) and BootCamp are also available.
SKN depicts the concern of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam to look after the people’s welfare.