E-Madani and Selangkah Initiatives: Brief Assessment - Access and Impact by Nik Zafri

The E-Madani and Selangkah initiatives by the Selangor State Government have been pivotal for many Malaysians seeking financial support. Even opposition-led states have their own programs, utilizing e-wallets and the "wang ehsan" scheme among others.

(Photos : Assisting individuals from Sri Gombak at no cost, guiding them through the process of installing, verifying, and applying for e-Madani RM100.00 via the Touch 'n Go E-Wallet, especially those who are struggling with the system.

It saddens me to witness the lack of assistance from others, prompting me to volunteer without hesitation. The joy of seeing their smiles makes it all worthwhile. I even used my hotspot - high speed internet to help them out)

E-Madani offers RM100.00 through various e-wallet platforms, but it restricts claims to a single gateway per contribution. On the other hand, Selangkah has notably aided numerous single parents and the B40 demographic, allowing them to use e-wallets and Bingkas for grocery purchases at partnered stores.

However, certain challenges have surfaced during my recent surveys:

a) Elderly individuals and financially disadvantaged people without smartphones struggle to access e-wallets like Touch and Go or similar platforms. They lack the knowledge to verify and apply for contributions, compounded by inadequate internet access.

b) Some remain unaware of these available contributions and their potential to alleviate their financial burdens.

c) There's an issue of unqualified individuals applying for Emadani and Bingkas, leading to rejections due to various reasons. Some of these individuals have resorted to political noise, claiming government deception and complicating the application process.

d) Political differences have caused some to opt out of Emadani, based solely on ideological reasons.

My personal experience in assisting people in applying, downloading, verifying, filling up forms offline and online, writing application letters even went to the welfare office with them - irrespective of race or religion. (many of the multi-racial and mutli-religious residence of Sri Gombak can confirm this)

And then dating back to the BRIM era up to the current initiatives, highlights that these contributions—irrespective of their governmental origin—shouldn't be stigmatized as "begging," "illicit funds," or "bribery." I disagree with these negative connotations, having myself received aid from the PAS-led Kelantan Government and the Regent's zakat during a jobless period in the late 80s and early 90s. Did it breed dependency? No. Many, like me, see these contributions as temporary support during challenging times like recessions.

Many recipients express gratitude, considering these contributions a significant blessing. To those who face rejection or perceive the amounts as insufficient, I encourage applying and redirecting these funds towards charitable causes or assisting friends in need.