Latest news with #SocialWelfareDepartment
New Straits Times
17 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Authorities seek help to trace mum of three siblings
YAN: The Social Welfare Department is appealing for help to trace the mother of three children who have been under guardianship since they were left behind during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. The children — Nurul Ain Abdullah, 16, Muhammad Fazli Abdullah, 14, and Mahathir Abdullah, 12 — were left without identification documents except for birth certificates indicating non-Malaysian citizenship. Their guardian, Abdul Rahman Abd Rahim, told authorities that the mother, Milah Nurwanto, 47, left the children during the Movement Control Order (MCO) in 2020 and has not been in contact since. Her last known address was at Taman Desa Makmur in Hulu Langat, Selangor. Yan Social Welfare Department child protector Zaty Farhany Muhammad Fauzi said the children were currently under a temporary custody order granted under Section 19(2)(b) of the Child Act 2001 (Amendment 2016). "We have yet to locate the children's mother. We are appealing to members of the public who may have any information to come forward," she said in a statement today.
New Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Elderly care gets boost with new law, digital awareness to fight scams
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is strengthening efforts to empower and protect senior citizens through support services, digital literacy initiatives, and legislation, said Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad. The Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister said one of the ministry's current focus areas was to ensure that older persons could live independently and with dignity, particularly in light of rising cases of online scams targeting vulnerable groups. "The ministry is taking several important steps to strengthen protection for senior citizens, particularly in terms of neglect and abuse. "For this reason, we are in the process of drafting the Senior Citizens Bill, which aims primarily to protect the fundamental rights and welfare of this group. "We are also currently reviewing the National Senior Citizens Action Plan, with one of the main focuses being issues such as scams and fraud. "The goal is to create a generation of independent, respected senior citizens who receive support from the community," she said during Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today. She was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PH-Bandar Tun Razak), who queried the ministry's efforts to introduce more comprehensive laws to protect senior citizens against neglect and abuse by family members and also scams. Noraini said the ministry would implement awareness programmes and digital literacy courses to help prevent them from becoming victims of cybercrime. "This is part of our efforts to improve the system because, ultimately, we must ensure that the implementation of every policy truly reaches the grassroots, and this requires the cooperation of all parties," she said. She said the ministry, through the Social Welfare Department, also provides Home Help Services, which offers social support to elderly individuals who live alone. "These Social Welfare Department volunteers visit the elderly regularly and offer companionship, help prepare meals and drinks, and assist with household chores. "The objective is to enable seniors to age in place within their communities. If that is no longer possible, then we look to community-based care, and only then to institutional care," she said. She said they also have the Unit Penyayang Warga Emas initiative as a complementary service to Home Help, which provides transportation for elderly individuals to attend medical appointments at hospitals or public health clinics.
The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Ex-Hong Kong social worker given community service for defrauding authorities
A retired Hong Kong social worker behind a dropped legal challenge arising from the San Tin Technopole project has been sentenced to community service for defrauding authorities out of HK$16,780 (US$2,138) in welfare benefits. Eastern Court on Thursday adopted a probation officer's recommendation to sentence Eddie Tse Sai-kit to 120 hours of unpaid community work after his lawyer said he 'recklessly' understated his earnings to obtain four months' worth of welfare allowances last year. A presentencing report cited the 68-year-old defendant as saying he had mistakenly believed that he only needed to report his average monthly income over the year in his application to the Social Welfare Department. Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung Chi-wai at one point questioned whether the court should accept the 68-year-old defendant's earlier guilty plea, before concluding that his failure to make an accurate declaration went beyond mere negligence and deserved criminal sanction. Cheung also noted that Tse had admitted wrongdoing at the first opportunity and was remorseful. Tse was arrested early this year while he was challenging an environmental impact assessment report that endorsed the development of a technology hub near the mainland Chinese border. Despite securing permission from the High Court to commence judicial review proceedings, Tse later dropped the case, citing 'widespread harassment and intimidation'. A pro-Beijing newspaper had also depicted Tse as an activist 'disrupting Hong Kong' by blindly opposing development under the guise of promoting environmental preservation. According to a prosecution case summary, Tse applied for an Old Age Living Allowance of HK$4,195 in June 2023 and claimed his monthly income was HK$5,000, which was below the limit of HK$10,710 at the time. He received a total of HK$80,460 from the department between July 2023 and December 2024. But the social worker failed to declare his earnings from Polytechnic University, where he had worked as a part-time fieldwork supervisor from January 2021 to May this year. Tse earned an additional monthly salary of between HK$6,000 and HK$19,200 from June to December last year for his work at the university, according to the summary. He also failed to notify the department that he had accepted a one-off 'honorarium' of HK$24,000 from the Social Workers Registration Board for serving on its disciplinary committee panel. An investigation concluded Tse would not have been entitled to the monthly allowance in July, August, November and December last year – an amount totalling HK$16,780 – if he had not concealed his income. Tse pleaded guilty earlier this month to four counts of fraud. Magistrate Cheung had ordered that Tse pay HK$16,780 in compensation to the department as part of his penalty. The defence said in a previous hearing that Tse had retired from social work after his arrest. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mandatory Pension Fund Marks a Decade of Transforming Hong Kong's Employee Benefits
Explore Hong Kong's employee benefits landscape with our comprehensive report. Delve into compulsory and private benefits, understand the role of the Social Welfare Department and Mandatory Provident Fund Authority, and gain insights into the regulatory framework. Perfect for strategic market decisions. Dublin, July 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Employee Benefits in Hong Kong (China SAR) 2025" report has been added to report provides in-depth industry analysis, information, and insights of the employee benefits in Hong Kong, including an overview of the state and compulsory benefits in Hong Kong, detailed information about the private benefits in Hong Kong, insights on various central institutions responsible for the administration of the different branches of social security and the regulatory framework of the employee benefits in Hong Kong's social welfare system provides cover to all residents in the event of disability, old age, death, unemployment, and sickness. The public pension pillar covers individuals in need of assistance. The occupational pillar, which is a compulsory defined contribution (DC) scheme, was launched in 2000, and the third pillar is a voluntary pension savings scheme. The Social Welfare Department (SWD) administers Hong Kong's non-contributory social security system, which includes the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme, the Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme, the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation (CLEIC) Scheme, the Traffic Accident Victims Assistance (TAVA) Scheme, the Support for Self-Reliance (SFS) Scheme, and Emergency Relief (ER). The main change to Hong Kong's social welfare system in the last decade was the introduction of the compulsory occupational pillar, the Mandatory Pension Fund (MPF). Before its implementation, any contribution to the occupational system was made Highlights The Social Welfare Department (SWD) and the Mandatory Provident Fund Authority (MPFA) are responsible for the functioning of the overall social security system. A person's national insurance contribution is determined based on their income. An insured person who is unemployed or unable to work and whose benefits have been exhausted is entitled to a credited contribution. Employers in Hong Kong provide their employees with private retirement benefits via ORSO and MPF schemes. Scope It offers a detailed analysis of the key government-sponsored employee benefits, along with private benefits It covers an exhaustive list of employee benefits, including retirement benefits, death in service, long-term disability benefits, medical benefits, workmen's compensation insurance, maternity and paternity benefits, family benefits, unemployment benefits, leaves and holidays, and private benefits It highlights the economic and regulatory situations relating to employee benefits in Hong Kong Reasons to Buy Make strategic decisions using in-depth information related to employee benefits in the country Assess employee benefits of the market, including state and compulsory benefits and private benefits Gain insights into the key employee benefit schemes offered by private employers in the country Gain insights into key organizations governing employee benefits market, and their impact on companies Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary2. Introduction2.1 What is this Report about?2.2 Definitions3. Country Statistics4. Overview of Employee Benefits in Hong Kong5. Regulations6. State and Compulsory Benefits6.1 Retirement Benefits Introduction Eligibility Benefits Payment options Contribution 6.2 Death in Service Introduction Eligibility Benefits Payment options Contribution 6.3 Long-Term Disability Benefits Introduction Eligibility Benefits Payment options Contribution 6.4 Short-Term Sickness Benefits Introduction Eligibility Benefits Payment options Contribution 6.5 Medical Benefits Introduction Eligibility Benefits Payment options Contribution 6.6 Workers' Compensation insurance Introduction Eligibility Benefits Payment options Contribution 6.7 Maternity and Paternity Benefits Introduction Eligibility Benefits Payment options Contribution 6.8 Other Benefits Family Benefits Unemployment benefits Leaves and Holidays 7. Private Benefits7.1 Retirement Benefits7.2 Death Benefits7.3 Disability Benefits7.4 Medical Benefits7.5 Accidental Death and Dismemberment Benefits7.6 Other BenefitsFor more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Hans India
5 days ago
- General
- Hans India
Utilise PMAGY funds for development of villages, Collector tells officials
Kurnool: District Collector P. Ranjith Basha has directed officials to effectively utilise the funds sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY) for the comprehensive development of villages. Addressing a convergence committee meeting with officials concerned on Thursday at the Mini Conference Hall at the Collectorate, the Collector emphasised the importance of coordinated efforts to implement the scheme effectively. Speaking on the occasion, Ranjit Basha stated that the primary objective of the PMAGY scheme was to develop villages with a significant Dalit population. In the first phase of the scheme, three villages were selected and development works were undertaken — including Boddhvanipalle village in Orvakal mandal, Naranapuram and Chagi villages under Adoni mandal and Enugabala in Yemmiganur mandal. He instructed the Social Welfare Department officials to submit utilisation certificates within two days for the works that have been completed. The Collector further announced that nine villages have been selected under Phase 2 of PMAGY. These include Marlamadiki in Holagunda mandal, Nuthanapalle in Pasupula Gram Panchayat of Kurnool mandal, Makadona in Peapully mandal, Nagarur in Aspari mandal, Uppalapadu in Orvakal mandal, Budur in Mantralayam mandal, Gudipadu and K Nagalapuram under Gudur mandal and Machapuram in Nandavaram mandal. He instructed officials to take up proposed development activities in these villages without delay. The development works to be undertaken using PMAGY funds include repairs to school and Anganwadi buildings, addressing filter bed issues related to drinking water, construction of approach roads under Panchayat Raj and R&B sectors, and other essential infrastructure improvements. The Collector emphasised that if there are any existing gaps in the implementation of other schemes, officials should bridge them using PMAGY funds. Officials from various departments including Zilla Parishad CEO Nasar Reddy, Deputy Director of Social Welfare Radhika, SE of Water Resources Balachandra Reddy, ICDS PD Nirmala, RWS SE Nageswara Rao, AP SPDCL SE Umapathi and Additional District Medical & Health Officer Dr Bhaskar Raju were present at the meeting.
