KUCHING: The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has adopted a new approach to ensure all deserving Malaysians are not left out from any form of government welfare aid.

Safiudin Matsah, political secretary to Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim, said the ministry and various agencies under its charge would go to the ground to reach out to those in need.

“We are introducing this programme called ‘People’s Well-being’ because the minister realises that there are many underprivileged people out there who are eligible to get help from the government but probably due to ignorance or some other reasons they have been left out.

“Because of that the minister feels it is necessary for the ministry, together with the agencies under it, such as the Welfare Department, Women’s Development Department, National Population and Family Development Board, and others to go to the ground to identify the target groups to ensure that no one will be left out,” Safiudin told reporters during the launch of the programme at Kampung Meludam, which comes under Rohani’s Batang Lupar parliamentary constituency on Wednesday.

He said the programme would be carried out in the Beting Maro, Sebuyau and Lingga state seats, which come under Batang Lupar.

“With this programme we aim to register all target groups, including single mothers, disabled children, senior citizens, those still living below the poverty line and we will determine the assistance that they should get from the government.

“Through this effort we believe we should be able to detect those who are entitled for government aid but yet never got any. What the minister wants is for the well-being of every member of society to be taken care of,” he added.

Depending on the effectiveness of the programme in Batang Lupar, he said, it may be extended to other areas, particularly in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak.

“What we believe is that some families may just keep their predicaments all to themselves when by right they are entitled to get some government aid. While some are probably unaware, they may also just don’t want to take the trouble to go down all the way (to town) to report their cases. This is what the ministry doesn’t want to happen so now we will try to go down to the field and detect them instead,” he said.

During the event, Safiudin presented outboard motors and fishing equipment to three fishermen from Kampung Meludam on behalf of Rohani.

They were among the 89 fishermen from the Batang Lupar constituency to receive such assistance from the government.