KUALA LUMPUR: The government has approved 4,274, or 68.4 per cent, of applications submitted by the next of kin of people who died of Covid-19 for funeral assistance.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions) Datuk Mastura Mohd Yazid said the aid allocation of RM21.37 million was approved by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) as of Sept 17.
"There are 1,962 remaining applications being processed by Nadma encompassing verification and nationality status checks with the National Registration Department (NRD) and Health Ministry to confirm the deaths was Covid-19 related.
"There were 12 applicants who were rejected as they were ineligible because the death was not caused by Covid-19," she said during the ministry's winding-up speech on the motion of thanks to the Royal Address at Dewan Rakyat here, today.
Mastura said Nadma will continue to upgrade the application process to ensure it will be approved within 30 working days via the National Registration Department's MyIdentity portal and the Health Ministry's Covid-19 portal.
"The latest approval process is further expedited by only taking into account the documents submitted by the hospital confirming the death was due to Covid-19 and the death certificate from the NRD. Other documents are no longer relevant," she said.
Mastura said next of kin of former Covid-19 patients who were recorded in the Health Ministry data are eligible to apply.
"Previously, a patient who recovered from Covid-19 was allowed to leave the hospital and return home but was found dead three days later.
"Based on the previous application process, the provision of the aid for funeral arrangements for Covid-19 victims was not accepted.
"This time is different because the deceased has a history in the Health Ministry records and was a Covid-19 patient, so it was approved," she said.
Mastura said Nadma has approved 18,222 applicants for the Covid-19 special aid worth RM100 per day when tested positive of the coronavirus.
So far, the government has received 49,789 applications.
The Covid-19 Nadma Fund also collected RM72.64 million from companies, royal institutions, civil servants and the public as of yesterday.
"Part of the 60,000 transactions, a total of RM64.37 million was contributed by corporate companies that donated more than RM500,000 per entity," she said.
In March last year, then prime minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, announced a special aid for funeral arrangements of Covid-19 victims amounting to RM5,000 for the next of kin.