KUCHING: The iSarawakCare app will be fully implemented by next year, says Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.

She said a trial run of the app, which provides users with information on government assistance offered by the ministry, was carried out on July 3.

“It will be fully implemented by next year. Right now, it is still in the trial period,” she told a press conference at her office in Baitulmakmur Building here yesterday.

She said iSarawakCare contains information and online application for various assistance such as the Endowment Fund Scheme (EFS), ‘Bantuan Ibu Bersalin’ (BIB), Kenyalang Gold Card (KGC), Special Annual Grant (GTK), and ‘Bantuan Khas Pesakit Buah Pinggang’ (BKPBP).

“From cradle to grave, we are trying to make sure it is as seamless as possible so that application for the assistance is easy,” she said.

On a related issue, Fatimah said her ministry has since received a total of 158,242 applications for KGC as of July 7 this year.

“Kuching received the highest number of applications across the state at 47,101, out of which 36,688 KGCs have been printed.

“So far, a total of 62,229 cards have been printed and we will be resuming the processing of applications and printing of cards which was previously affected by the Movement Control Order (MCO),” she said.

She also noted that 72 vendors, private companies and government agencies had come on board as KGC strategic partners to offer discounts and rebates to card holders.

On the KGC Death Compassionate Assistance (BIK), she said the ministry had received 180 applications of which 93 have been approved.

Following the press conference, Fatimah presented some recipients with the KGC which was witnessed by Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.

A total of 1,636 senior citizens from Batu Kawa constituency will be receiving their KGCs which will be distributed by representatives from their respective areas.

Also present were assistant ministers of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Francis Harden Hollis and Rosey Yunus.