THE Penang government has been urging the recipients of the i-Sejahtera programme to opt for payment through electronic fund transfer (EFT).
The i-Sejahtera programme includes ‘Pelajar Emas’, Senior Citizen, Single Mother, ‘Ibu Emas’, ‘Anak Emas’, physically disabled, Funeral Expenses and Equitable Economic Agenda (AES).
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the EFT method is more convenient as the money could be deposited directly into the recipient’s bank account without having him or her to be physically present to receive the cash payment.
“Until today, more than 50% of the recipients have registered and received their payments through EFT,” Chow told reporters at Seh Tek Tong Cheah Kongsi in Armenian Street today.
He was asked by reporters whether was there any plan from the Penang government to channel the i-Sejahtera payment through electronic fund transfer (EFT) instead of the usual cash payment through face-to-face method, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Yesterday, state Welfare and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh announced that the Penang government had decided to postpone the disbursement of cash payment for 4,170 single mothers and 17,644 ‘Ibu Emas’ (Phase 1 -Year 2020) under the i-Sejahtera programme due to the rise in the Covid-19 cases.
It was originally scheduled to be held on Oct 24 and 25.
Phee was quoted as saying that: “The state government does not want to risk the people’s health and safety. That is why we (state government) are encouraging those who have yet to provide us with their bank account details to do so to facilitate the disbursement.
“Please update your bank account details before Nov 15 so that the payments can be made by the end of this year.
“I would like to reassure the recipients that their money will not be burned.”
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud
Video by Alvie Cheng