Tuaran: The State Government will implement another initiative this year to further alleviate the people’s financial burden, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
It would complement several existing programmes, including the Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat (Syukur) launched, here, Wednesday.
Syukur provides eligible recipients RM300 monthly until Dec. 31, with a total allocation of RM358.5 million, benefiting 100,000 recipients.
“As a government that always prioritises the welfare of the people amid rising cost of living, we must find ways to assist the people of this state,” he said.
“My colleagues and I in the State Cabinet are constantly exploring initiatives to assist the people, particularly those in poverty and extreme poverty,” he said.
“As of February, 72,058 heads of households (KIR) registered in the eKasih system at Dec. 31, 2024, have received this assistance.
“Of this, 52,201 received direct bank transfers since Feb. 17, while the remaining 19,857 without bank accounts receive payments in stages — either through direct cash assistance or the opening of special accounts to facilitate the first phase of payments until March,” he said.
The programme’s second phase in May would extend benefits to more recipients, including those listed in eKasih and those in poverty or extreme poverty previously excluded.
“Those eligible but not registered in the Pangkalan Data Negeri Sabah (Padans) database can lodge complaints with their village chief or the MySMJ Profiler officer stationed at all district offices in the State.
“I hope Syukur will evolve into an ongoing movement that positively impacts society, in line with the Sabah Maju Jaya aspirations to enhance the well-being of the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Syukur payments would be disbursed in phases, with each providing a lump-sum payment covering three months, amounting to RM900 per recipient, either via direct bank transfer or cash assistance.
The first phase (January-March 2025) began disbursement in February, while the second phase (April-June 2025) would commence in April. The third phase (July-September 2025) would be disbursed in September, and the fourth phase (October-December 2025) in October.
Recipients can check their eligibility and payment status via the Padans System website (
https://padans.sabah.gov.my/), the Syukur website (
http://sukur.sabah. gov.my/), the Yono Superapp, or payment notification via SMS.
Eligibility checks for Syukur assistance are accessible starting Wednesday (Feb 19).
