Fatimah (second right) presents Welfare Department aid to Shima. – Photo courtesy of Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah
KUCHING (Aug 21): The state Welfare Department is ready to offer counselling service to the immediate family of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) personnel who were killed in a recent shootout incident here, said Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
The Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development said even though the RMAF have its own counselling service, her ministry, through the Welfare Department, is willing to reach out to the next-of-kin who needs the service.
“On top of financial assistance and other immediate assistance, we are also ready to provide emotional support such as counseling service.
“Of course, counselling service is also provided by the RMAF. But we at the Welfare Department also have counselors and the widow of the late (Cpl Sharif Mohd Siddiq Al-Attas Wan Sabli) (Sharif) can contact us as and when necessary,” she said during a courtesy call on Sharif’s widow, Shima Mustapha, 29, at her residence in Bau near here.
Fatimah said the counselling service is aimed at making sure the widows do not feel alone during this difficult time.
During the visit, she presented several donations from the Welfare Department to Shima.
Among them were one-off Tabung Bantuan Segera (TBS) worth RM300, monthly child assistance worth RM600 (starting next month) as well as food aid including essential items, milk powder and diapers for her two children.
Fatimah said the widow was encouraged to apply for Sarawak Endowment Fund worth RM1,000 for her youngest child who is just two months old.
“It is savings for the child’s education which can be withdrawn when the child reaches 18 years old.”
She added that they also provided Maternity Assistance worth RM450 to the widow.
“On behalf of the ministry, I would like to extend our condolences to all the widows and families and pray that they continue to persevere in this difficult time.”
Sharif was among the four RMAF personnel who were killed in a shootout incident at the Air Force Camp in Kota Samarahan recently. The second of seven siblings, he left behind his widow and three children including a two- month-old baby boy.