“… I have asked the minister Dr Adham Baba to list down cases involving the death of one or both parents (due to Covid-19), which will put their children in a dire situation financially.
“After this, if there are cases like this we will also help,” he told reporters after visiting eight siblings who lost both their parents to Covid-19. Also present were Adham and higher education minister Dr Noraini Ahmad.
The plight of the eight children, aged between four and 19, went viral on social media after their parents succumbed to the virus within a space of three days.
The head of the family, Benyajeed Bernie, died on July 16 and his wife Noraini Ibrahim two days later.
Ismail, who is also defence minister, said several parties including the Selangor zakat board and welfare department (JKM) had extended aid to the eight siblings.
“The monthly rental of RM650 will be fully paid, apart from food assistance and a one-off payment of RM650. JKM will give RM950 a month to all the eight siblings,” he said, adding that the one-off RM5,000 special aid for Covid-19 death management has also been given.
He said the defence ministry had also agreed to adopt the eight as foster children of its subsidiary company Boustead Holdings Berhad.
The second child, who is 18 and working in a factory, has been offered a job by Boustead.
The family’s eldest daughter Nazurah Nabilah Benyajeed, 19, expressed relief and gratitude for the aid given to them.
She said the aid would ensure that her younger siblings could continue with their education.
“Initially I was sad (over parents’ death) but when I saw my younger siblings also crying, I stopped weeping because I have to remain strong for their sake,” she said, adding that her parents had asked her to look after the family.
The authorities have also offered to transfer Nazurah Nabilah, who is pursuing a diploma in electrical and mechanical engineering, from Politeknik Mersing in Johor to Politeknik Sultan Azlan Shah in Behrang, Perak so that she can be nearer to her home.
Meanwhile, the national disaster management agency (Nadma) has channeled RM6.16 million to the immediate families of 1,232 individuals who have died from the coronavirus, under the Covid-19 death management special aid programme, minister in the prime minister’s department (Special Functions) Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof said.
He told reporters after visiting the vaccination centre (PPV) at Dewan Seroja, here today that 1,500 applications have been submitted by Malaysians for the special assistance.
Under the death management special assistance programme, a one-time financial aid of RM5,000 is given to the next of kin of individuals who have succumbed to Covid-19.
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