1. FREE Breast Cancer Screening
Did you know that Malaysian women are more inclined to develop cancer as compared to men? According to the Health Ministry’s Malaysian Study on Cancer Survival (MySCan), between the years of 2007 and 2011, there were 99.3 cases per 100,000 people involving females, whereas for males it was at 86.9 cases.
Where to check? Haa, why not apply for the SOCSO Health Screening Programme (if you guys are a member)! They'll give you the voucher once you've reached 40 years old. You could even do a pap smear.
FYI, in partnership with the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM), Etiqa has launched its Free Mammogram Programme – Phase 4 for 6,000 underprivileged women aged 40 and above. In a statement, Etiqa and NCSM said the one-year nationwide programme is worth RM2.04 million and falls under Etiqa Cares, Etiqa’s flagship corporate responsibility commitment towards healthy living.
Eligible women and interested community leaders are encouraged to call NCSM at 03-2698 7300 for more enquiries.
2. Single mothers, you don’t have to stand alone
It must've been tough to be a single mother. You're expected to have it all together. Worry no more because under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, single mothers can apply to receive temporary financial assistance (duration: 1 year) that is designed to ease some of their burdens. The minimum amount given out is RM100 per child, per month, and the maximum amount is RM450 per month if there are more than 4 children.
Also, single mothers can apply to receive financial assistance from the state in which they live. However, the amount will differ since each state has its own allocation, as well as eligibility requirements. For example, Selangor has a welfare programme for mothers from the lower-income group (Group B40) called Bingkas Selangor.
This programme allows participants to purchase necessities worth RM300 monthly at the registered shops and supermarkets. To register and know more about it, click here.
3. There's an incentive of RM300 per year for housewives
Yup, this incentive is only for housewives or Ketua Isi Rumah Wanita (KIR) who register for the Caruman Sukarela Insentif Suri (i-Suri), where all they need to do is deposit a minimum of RM5 into their retirement savings accounts every month.
Besides the annual RM300 incentives, they’ll also be able to enjoy annual EPF dividends as well as death benefits. For more info, visit EPF's website here.
READ: What Could Possibly Happen If There's No EPF?
4. There's an SME Bank funding for women entrepreneurs
Calling all female SME owners, it’s time for you to show the world who’s boss! You now get to enjoy funding that’s dedicated to assisting you in expanding and growing your business further. The unique programme is called MySMELady, offered by SME Bank, which is wholly owned by the Malaysian Ministry of Finance and regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).
You get to receive financing from RM100,000 up to RM3 million. To be eligible, here are some of the requirements to meet:
- Meets Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) definition.
- ≥ 51% of the equity held by a woman/women OR CEO/MD is a woman who owns at least 10% of the equity.
- The business is owner-operated.
- Financing purposes and business activities must comply with Shariah principles
- Business is registered with SSM or other authorised authorities/ district offices, or professional statutory bodies.
- The Company has been in operation for at least two years
- Meet the eligibility criteria of SJPP’s guarantee schemes.
5. Tax exemptions for women returning to work
The Malaysian government offers a tax exemption for women returning to work after a career break, known as the Career Comeback Tax Exemption. This exemption applies to employment income received for a maximum of 12 consecutive months.
Applications must be submitted to TalentCorp Malaysia Berhad by December 31, 2027, and the exemption period is until the year of assessment 2028.
To know more about the Career Comeback Tax Exemption, CLICK HERE.
We salute all the ladies out there!
It’s no easy feat for women to battle for their equality in a male-dominated society, more so to juggle the role of mother/daughter/wife/sister. But with these government-run initiatives, it’s at least a positive step in the correct direction for women all over the country. Let’s hope there are more substantial female-targeted initiatives rolling out in the near future!
So, how will you #AccelerateAction?
*The above article is intended for informational purposes only. Loanstreet accepts no responsibility for loss that may arise from reliance on information contained in the articles.
