The Penang state government is mulling to give a one-off gift of RM 100 to the parents of new born children in the state, with the requirement that one of the parents be a registered voter. This programme is limited to households who earn less than RM 4000 a month.

The success of the Senior Citizen Appreciation programme and the bereavement grant of a RM 1000 for the family members of the deceased that were launched in 2010 has prompted several parties to request that the state government also consider helping the new-born generation.

The Penang PR state government took note and has initiated this Penang Golden Child programme to celebrate the addition of new-borns to Penang.

A total of RM 20 million each year has been used in the senior citizen appreciation and bereavement grant programmes. The programmes have been overwhelmingly successful, with as much as 87 percent of almost 115,000 senior citizens having registered under the programmes.

The Penang Golden Child programme is expected to cost RM 5 to 10 million a year, with funds coming from the state government’s budget surpluses. -The Rocket