KUCHING, Aug 9 — Only 64 per cent of 19,375 Anak Sarawak births, or those with K status, recorded from January 1-July 31 this year have been submitted for Endowment Fund Sarawak (EFS) application, said Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.

The Minister of Women, Children and Community Wellbeing Development said among the reasons for this was that some parents found the application process to be very tedious.

"I have come across parents who applied for ‘Bantuan Ibu Bersalin’ (post-natal assistance) but are not interested in applying for the Endowment Fund Sarawak.

"Because of that, we will do more intervention such as outreach programmes where we go to the ground together with other agencies or during big government events,” she told reporters after chairing the second EFS Committee meeting for 2023 here today.

Fatimah said that EFS is one of the Sarawak government’s initiatives, with a grant of RM1,000 in the form of trust savings for every birth of a Sarawakian child.

According to her, this initiative started in 2019 is given regardless of race, religion and socioeconomic status as long as the child has K status, indicating Sarawakian status.

She pointed out that the trust saving, which could grow to more than RM2,000 once the child reaches 18 years old, aims to help Sarawak’s children to prepare for further studies, start a career or used as capital to start a small business.

To enable more Anak Sarawak to be registered for EFS, she said her ministry is preparing a five-year review of the EFS to be presented to the Cabinet.

"The review will include suggestions to ensure the aim to provide EFS for all Anak Sarawak is achieved,” she said.

Fatimah also touched on the dropping birth rates in Sarawak, saying that among the reasons found were due to decisions made by a couple following the rise in cost of living.

"Another reason for lower birth rates is the later age of marriages, as well as those who have decided not to have many children,” she said.

Meanwhile, a press kit distributed by her ministry revealed a total 100,202 EFS accounts have been opened since 2019 to July 31 this year, involving an allocation of RM100.2 million.

It also stated automatic application of EFS is being mulled as a way forward by the ministry, of which further announcements will be made after approval is obtained by the Cabinet. — Borneo Post Online