KUCHING, Sept 9 — A total of 3,443 single mothers in Sarawak have applied for the Single Mothers Special Aid (BKIT) one-off financial assistance worth RM300, Welfare, Community, Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said.

Of the total, she said 1,687 applications have been approved, 80 were still being reviewed while 1,264 have been rejected.

"Of the number approved, 214 individuals have received the aid, involving a sum of RM64,200,” she told a press conference on the BKIT at her office at Bangunan Baitulmakmur, Petra Jaya, here today.

She said those rejected were applicants with monthly household income of above RM960, which is the current poverty line income (PLI).

"Following this, I have asked the Social Welfare director-general to bring this matter up to the Finance Ministry and to follow the Sarawak PLI which is RM1,200, so that more applications could be approved,” she said.

Fatimah called on more single mothers in Sarawak to apply for the assistance introduced under the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA), announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin recently, as an initiative to help single mothers cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The application forms can be obtained from the District Office, Social Welfare Office or via the Sarawak Social Welfare Department portal and must be submitted by Oct 31, 2020,” she added. — Bernama