Latest news with #SocialSynergyCongress
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Stop working in silos, Chief Secretary tells govt agencies
iyliamarsya@ KUALA LUMPUR: Government agencies must break free from working in silos to address increasingly complex social challenges, says Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. Shamsul was speaking at the Social Synergy Congress, where he praised the Social Synergy Programme, an initiative under the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) that works with various stakeholders to deliver aid to those in need. "In facing increasingly complex social challenges, we can no longer work in silos. We must break free from the culture of agency exclusivity and embrace a collaborative system culture," he said. He described the Social Synergy Programme as a "holistic and inclusive intervention approach" and a "strategic solution framework" that brings together the strengths of the government, government-related bodies, government-linked companies (GLCs), the private sector, and NGOs. This multi-agency approach helps to empower and save lives, and aligns with the integrated approach he often emphasises in public service reform, he said. He added that the programme reflects the Madani government's approach to making social policies more humane, responsive, and people-centred. Shamsul said these reforms also align with the prime minister's call to tackle poverty through multi-dimensional efforts involving both governmental and non-governmental actors, as outlined in the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP). The government has allocated over RM20 billion for poverty eradication under the 13MP. The plan outlines four key pillars: enhancing economic complexity, increasing social mobility, accelerating public service reform, and improving the wellbeing of people and environmental sustainability. "Under the pillar of increasing social mobility, emphasis is placed on strengthening inclusive development and improving the socio-economic status of target groups, while ensuring balanced progress between urban and rural areas," he said. According to data from the Prime Minister's Department's Implementation Coordination Unit, there were 390,000 household heads categorised as poor as of Dec 31, 2024, with 1,800 families in the hardcore poor category.
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Streamlined Perkeso initiative sees 44,998 in B40 group receive aid
KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) has extended assistance to 44,998 individuals nationwide through its Social Synergy Programme from 2019 up to July this year. Its chief executive officer, Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed, said the initiative has streamlined the aid process by eliminating the need for individuals to knock on the doors of multiple social aid agencies. "The programme, first developed in 2017 as a Perkeso initiative, was designed to eradicate poverty and enhance the standard of living by ensuring that eligible recipients, particularly those in the B40 group, are not left out of the assistance ecosystem. "The issue of exclusion error was highlighted in a 2018 global monitoring agency survey, which revealed that 34 per cent of Malaysian households who were eligible for aid did not receive the financial assistance they urgently needed," he said in his speech at the Social Synergy Congress today. To address this, he said the Social Synergy Programme, which to date has recorded 979 collaborations involving 117 agencies and 862 community leaders nationwide, now acts as the eyes and ears of Perkeso. Azman cited an example where, upon the death of a contributor, strategic partners immediately alert Perkeso to verify the next of kin's eligibility for benefits. "All strategic partners complement one another by matching individuals in need, referred to as prospects, with the relevant agencies under the umbrella of the Social Synergy Programme. "I am pleased to share that between 2019 and July this year, 44,998 prospects from across the country were successfully channelled to various agencies for aid. This integrated approach means those in need no longer have to seek help from one agency after another," he said. He added that Perkeso officers must not remain passive behind counters, waiting for contributors or their next of kin to come forward. "Instead, Perkeso must be proactive by going to the ground to identify and assist eligible contributors and their families. We must be present to lift those who have fallen. "We want the first knock on the door of a grieving family to come not from a debt collector, but from Perkeso, delivering social justice in their time of need," he said. Speaking about the congress, now in its third edition, Azman said it was more than just a physical gathering. "It is a manifestation of unity among various agencies in our mission to eradicate hardcore poverty and to build an inclusive and sustainable social protection network. "With the theme 'Social Synergy Programme: Culture or Process?', this congress invites us to reflect critically — is Social Synergy merely an administrative process governed by models and guidelines, or has it evolved into a culture of inter-agency collaboration rooted in values of humanity, empathy and care?" he said. During the event, Perkeso also signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with three strategic partners, believed to strengthen its mission of building a comprehensive, inclusive and sustainable social protection system. The signing, held in conjunction with the Social Synergy Congress today, involved the Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda), the Darul Ta'zim Family Development Foundation (YPKDT), and One Hope Welfare & Charity. The partnership between Perkeso and the three organisations covers cross-agency referral of aid recipients, targeted data sharing and matching, as well as the empowerment of human capital through skills development and socio-economic support.
