Kasmiah Lakassa, a homemaker in Tawau, said the Kelas Dewasa Ibubapa Orang Asli dan Penan (Kedap) programme has helped her become more knowledgeable and better equipped to help her children in their studies.
Kedap aims to reduce illiteracy among the Orang Asli and Penan communities throughout Malaysia. Three times a week, Kasmiah and other parents in Kampung Inderasabah are taught basic literacy and arithmetic skills.
“What we learn we teach our children at home. Education these days needs a higher level of thinking and (through Kedap) we’re taught different ways of thinking, so it’s easier for us to teach them.
“I’m delighted that I’m able to teach my kids. Before, when they got back from school, I would just leave them to do their own thing but now I’m able to help them with their homework and studies,” Kasmiah said.
Expressing her gratitude to the finance ministry for the project allocation, Kasmiah hoped the programme would be sustained so that more parents would be able to effectively help their children with their studies.
Over in the peninsula, Helmi Nuhaz, a 44-year-old Ampang resident, is grateful to the finance ministry for the i-Saraan retirement savings programme in Budget 2022, which he says helped “get his life back on track”.
Around the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Helmi lost his job as a software developer and was unable to find work for months, finally becoming a gig worker for GoGet, an on-demand job platform.
During his jobless phase, he was forced to make several withdrawals and so depleted his Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) savings.
But through i-Saraan, Helmi is able to remit to EPF part of his earnings with every delivery he makes.
Through a collaboration between EPF and GoGet Malaysia, i-Saraan enables gig workers to make voluntary contributions to their retirement savings through an integrated and customisable platform.
“Last time my financial situation was not so good but I-Saraan has helped me get my life back on track. Before this, I withdrew RM10,000 from my EPF a few times. (With i-Saraan) I think within five years, I can recover.
“It’s definitely given me peace of mind. It’s secure and allows me to focus on my commitments.”