Sarawak govt contributes RM10,000 to Lions Nursing Home for Gawai

Borneo Post

31-05-2025

Fatimah presents a Kenyalang Gold Card to one of the residents of Lions Nursing Home in Kuching.
KUCHING (June 1): Lions Nursing Home Kuching today received a festive contribution of RM10,000 from the Sarawak government during a visit by Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
Fatimah said the contribution was part of the ministry's ongoing outreach to senior citizens during festive seasons.
'From our delegation, on my left is the Director of the Sarawak Welfare Department, Tuan Haji Semawi.
'In our brief discussion just now, he said that we still have the funds, and we are going to donate RM10,000 – that is our Gawai gift and our ziarah (visitation) gift for today,' she told a press conference held in conjunction with the Program Ziarah Warga Emas Sempena Sambutan Hari Gawai Dayak dan Hari Raya Aidiladha 2025 at the nursing home on Saturday.
Fatimah also announced that Kenyalang Gold Cards and the Senior Citizen Health Benefit (SCHB) initiative would be extended to eligible residents of the home.
She said the effort aimed to improve access to health services and support systems for senior citizens in the state.
'The Kenyalang Gold Card will allow them to receive discounts and rebates from our strategic partners, especially pharmacies and private hospitals,' she said.
She also highlighted that the SCHB initiative, which provides RM500 annually per eligible recipient, will continue next year.
This benefit is available to those with household incomes below RM7,000, to support medical treatment at private clinics and hospitals.
'I have to thank Dr Asmah (Nazahiyah Said), Head of the Private Medical Practice Control Branch, Sarawak State Health Department, who has been helping us from the beginning to ensure this health benefit becomes a reality, especially in identifying potential panel clinics,' she said.
Fatimah expressed appreciation to Lions Nursing Home and its chairperson Datin Ellis Suriyati Omar for their service and commitment.
She noted that Ellis' contributions to society extend beyond the state level.
'She is very active not only locally but also globally through the Lions Club. Because of her involvement, we have nominated her for a state-level Women's Day award under the social activist category,' she said.
The visit also included officers from her ministry, the Sarawak Welfare Department, the Social Development Council, and researchers currently conducting a state-wide study on aging in Sarawak.
'This is a comprehensive study covering over 3,000 respondents across urban and rural areas, including different ethnic groups and gender segments. It is being carried out by a consortium involving Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Curtin University Malaysia and University of Technology Sarawak,' she said.
She said the findings from the study would be crucial in preparing Sarawak for the challenges of becoming an aging state by 2028.
'We want to understand the profile of our senior citizens – what issues they face depending on where they live, their gender, and their ethnicity – so we can provide the right support systems,' she said.
Fatimah stressed that the state government is committed to ensuring the wellbeing of all age groups, from children and women to at-risk individuals and senior citizens.
'Our ministry's responsibility is to ensure that no one is left behind in the state's development. Everyone, whether young or old, rich or poor, deserves proper attention,' she said.
The minister recalled a previous visit to the home during Chinese New Year, where a resident broke down in tears and expressed a longing for family visitation.
'That memory has stayed with me. Our visit today is to give cheer and confidence. You are not alone, we are with you,' she said.
Fatimah commended the Lions Nursing Home for its 30 years of continuous service despite financial challenges, describing its contribution as a testament to the organisation's credibility.
'Congratulations and thank you. May God guide us in our quest to provide care and comfort to the needy and disadvantaged in our society,' she said. fatimah abdullah Kuching Lions Nursing Home