Programme to help Selangor folk

Story by OH ING YEEN

MANY are still unaware of the welfare programmes offered by the Selangor state government.

This is evident in the small number of people who registered for these programmes. So far 1,424 have registered.

An example is the Tabung Anak Selangor (Tawas) programme.

Tawas project marketing officer Normaizatuniza Samian said it was one of the key programmes launched by the state government to ensure the state’s wealth directly benefited its citizens.

“All those born on Jan 1, 2008 and after with at least one parent born in Selangor, are eligible. Through Tawas, Selangor will make a savings gift contribution of RM100 for every eligible child. On the child’s 18th birthday, he or she is entitled for RM1,500 from Tawas.

“Tawas is a savings fund. The purpose of creating the fund is to ensure the revenue of the state, such as from its natural resources, is enjoyed by the citizens. The fund will be managed by a team of professional investment managers to ensure the money will grow over time,” she said,

Normaizatuniza added that bibs and caps for babies would be given out to those who register on a first-come-first-served basis.

"All those born on Jan 1, 2008 and after with at least one parent born in Selangor, are eligible" - NORMAIZATUNIZA SAMIAN

Cheah Yoke Yin registered her four-month-old son for the programme in October. “The registration process was very easy. However, not many people know about it and there must be more publicity on the programme,” she said. Kong Yoke Loong came to know about the programme from his friend.

“Although the amount is small, it is better than nothing. I would prefer for the money to be banked into the account each year instead of having to wait for the lump sum after 18 years,” said the 33-year-old salesman.

Nor Faizal Paiman, a 30-year-old government servant, applauds the move.

“I have spread the news to my friends, especially those living in the villages. Some of them have not heard of Tawas while some who are IT-savvy, found out about it through the official website.”

In an interview, Rantaian Mesra Sdn Bhd chief executive officer A Shukor Tahir said: “The lack of public awareness on the Tawas programme is probably because we are not marketing it well but we will improve on it. “So far, 1,424 have registered. We are now promoting it through the website, road shows and newspapers.

“People can look forward to more improvements to the programme as it is only in its early stage,” he said. He added that the Tawas card would be launched on Feb 7.

For more details, call Tawas at 03-5510 3498 or log on to http://www.selangor.gov.my/ for more information about Tawas and the other welfare programmes offered by the state government.

Friday January 30, 2009