KUALA LUMPUR, 10 JANUARY 2021 – As part of the government’s agenda to bolster digital literacy among members of society from all layers, the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) is driving special outreach efforts for Orang Asli communities in Perak. This outreach is done via its financial aid initiative Kasih Ibu Darul Ridzuan (KIDR), with a technology solution provided by Kiplepay Sdn Bhd.
Through the programme, NCIA provides prepaid cashless cards, powered by Kiplepay, to recipients from Orang Asli communities in Perak. Reloaded with RM250 monthly with funds provided by the federal government, these cards can then be used to purchase basic necessities from local merchants, inclusive of Orang Asli merchants. Among these merchants include 15 ‘kedai bergerak’ (mobile merchants), who exist specifically to address location accessibility issues.
“The Kasih Ibu Darul Ridzuan (KIDR) initiative is not only helping eradicate poverty among Malaysia’s low-income communities in line with the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, but it is also in line with the government’s goal to move the entire digital nation forward. By enabling mobile merchants to adopt this feature with Kiplepay’s cashless cards, NCIA hopes that even those in rural areas will be inspired to up-skill their digital literacy and embrace digital change,” said Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace John, Chief Executive of the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA).
Mobile merchants provide a service that brings them and their products to their purchasers, rather than the other way around. This solves a key problem that many Orang Asli communities face, particularly those whose villages are in secluded areas that can be accessed only by four-by-four vehicles and boats. With the service of mobile merchants, Orang Asli communities that reside in these areas can make easy purchases of essential items without travelling far from their villages.
“With the cashless cards and payment terminals powered by Kiplepay, Orang Asli recipients and merchants will be exposed and have access to safer, contactless payment transactions. This move will further encourage communities in rural areas to embrace digital solutions in their lives, therefore opening them up to more opportunities in the future,” said Ricky Lew, Acting CEO of Kiplepay Sdn Bhd.
The KIDR programme has benefitted a total of 4,701 recipients including 1,094 Orang Asli communities in 2021. To date, the programme has onboarded a total of 150 merchants under the KIDR programme, of which 25 merchants are from the Orang Asli community.
“I hope that the KIDR programme can be continued and expanded so that more eligible recipients can receive this benefit. To a large extent, this alleviates the burden borne by the lack of a fixed source of income and the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Johara Binti Pandak, Orang Asli recipient from Pos Raya, Kampung Kepayang, Perak.
“The KIDR programme not only eases the burden of high cost of living for the recipients in my area, but also increases the sales of my business when they come to spend their monthly allocation from my shop,” said Kulop bin Pandak, a retailer in Kampung Orang Asli Tumbuh Hangat in Bota, Perak.
This effort follows the existing partnership between NCIA and Kiple to provide a range of cashless solutions to poor and hardcore poor communities in the northern states, with a focus on low-income women representing households with no fixed income. This connects the recipients to basic necessities and healthcare benefits.
For more information on the Kasih Ibu Darul Ridzuan programme, visit www.ncer.kidr.com .
