By Aliff Haiqal Mohamed
SHAH ALAM, Feb 1 — The state government is reviewing the Bantuan Kehidupan Sejahtera Selangor (Bingkas) policy for improvements, said state executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari.
She said the study is being done in collaboration with Universiti Malaya’s Social Wellbeing Research Centre (SWRC).
“Though Bingkas started in 2022 (as Kasih Ibu Smart Selangor, or KISS), we must look into how aid could be given in different forms to increase (recipients’) socio-economic level,” she said in an interview on Media Selangor’s Bicara Semasa segment recently.
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Bantuan Kehidupan Sejahtera Selangor recipient Salina Damsah buys groceries at Pasaraya Maju A&A in Gombak on August 15, 2022. — Picture by HAFIZ OTHMAN/SELANGORKINI[/caption]
Anfaal added that results from the study will be tabled to stakeholders during a welfare colloquium this month.
“This collaboration with the SWRC will let us form a better policy for Bingkas,” she said.
Bingkas is part of 46 Iltizam Selangor Penyayang initiatives launched in 2022, replacing KISS and KISS Ibu Tunggal (single mothers).
Last year, Bingkas criteria were relaxed to allow households earning below RM5,000 to apply for aid, compared with the previous RM3,000 household income level, to ensure more people benefit from the initiative.
