By Dewi Abdul Rahman and Sheeda Fathil
SHAH ALAM, May 31 — The state government has spent RM127,000 through the Selangor Legal Aid Fund since the programme was launched in September 2022.
State executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari said to date, 58 cases out of a total of 80 applications received have been resolved.
“The highest number of cases received involved family issues, with 62 cases, followed by employment-related issues (15 cases) and Syariah law matters (3 cases).
“Twenty cases are still ongoing, while the remaining were either rejected or returned,” she told Media Selangor yesterday.
Anfaal said the public can submit their applications for the assistance at the nearest state assembly service centres.
"If approved, they will receive legal services through the Selangor Bar Council."
The Selangor Legal Aid Fund is the first initiative of its kind in Malaysia, established through a collaboration between the state government, the Malaysian Bar Council, and the Selangor Bar Council.
The programme was introduced with an initial allocation of RM1 million to ensure that low-income groups have access to justice, particularly in matters related to family, employment, and Syariah law.
The eligibility criteria for applications include the following:
- Malaysian citizens
- Selangor residents
- household income of less than RM5,000
At a separate event, Anfaal issued recognition plaques to 20 childcare centre operators as proof of registration with the Social Welfare Department (JKM) during a ceremony held at Taska An-Naurah, Selayang Baru.
Anfaal advised operators to display the plaques in visible areas to assure parents of the legitimacy of registered centres.
“These plaques serve as advocacy tools and give parents confidence that the centres are officially registered with JKM.
“The state government, together with JKM, is also committed to continuing efforts to regularise unregistered childcare centres."
Anfaal said her office is currently identifying steps to standardise requirements and provide guidelines to facilitate the legal registration of childcare centre operators.
In April, Anfaal reported that more than 1,000 care centres across Selangor had been registered with JKM as of November 2024.
