SHAH ALAM: Selangor should retain its RM2,500 death benefit payment, says state opposition leader Rizam Ismail.
The death benefit, which is given to the next-of-kin, was initiated by Pakatan Harapan in 2008.
Rizam had expressed shock and disappointment over Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari’s announcement on Friday that it would be discontinued.
Amirudin had said that it would be replaced by Skim Mesra Usia Emas where an annual Jom Shopping voucher worth RM100 would be given to senior citizens.
Amirudin said this was because the state government wanted senior citizens to benefit from the state’s revenues while they were still alive.
Rizam, in a statement today, said that Selangor, as an important state that generated high income for the country, should not the neglect the welfare of its people as they had been given the mandate to provide care and render assistance.
Rizam, who is also Sungai Ayer Tawar assemblyman, said the state’s move to discontinue the aid showed that the state was weak in its financial management and ineffective in its administration.
“The Selangor state government has allocated RM256 million to provide the aid to 103,320 next-of-kin since 2008.
“It should maintain the aid for the people and should make improvements to the existing welfare assistance, on top of thinking of ways to generate revenue,” he said.