Report on JKMPay cashless welfare scheme ready soon

 

In March last year, about 100 persons with disabilities gathered to demand that the government do away with the cashless payment scheme and reinstate the cash allowance.

PUTRAJAYA: The feasibility report on the monthly cashless welfare assistance payment scheme, or JKMPay, will be presented to the women, family and community development ministry soon.

Minister Nancy Shukri said the social welfare department (JKM) had conducted a study on the scheme and a pilot project was implemented in several states for a period of six months in 2021.

“Now, we are waiting for the report because we want to know which is better for users.

“If more people prefer cash payments, there will be no problem to revert (to the old method), but it will take time because there is a certain system that needs to be followed,” she told reporters after delivering the new year message at the ministry.

Nancy was commenting on a suggestion by OKU Sentral president senator Ras Adiba Radzi yesterday to scrap the implementation of JKMPay as it was difficult for recipients to make purchases.

JKMPay was launched last April by former women, family and community development minister Rina Harun. Half of the approved cash aid to recipients was to be distributed through the cashless card.

The programme, launched with the cooperation of Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd, allowed the cashless card to be used at stores registered with the bank.

In March last year, about 100 persons with disabilities (PwD) gathered to demand that the government do away with the cashless payment scheme and reinstate the cash allowance.

Several PwD associations also submitted a memorandum to the ministry calling for JKMPay to be abolished as it caused inconvenience to the groups’ members. - FMT