Kuching: Participants of the 1Azam programme would be selected from the e-Kasih database to ensure that they are genuinely categorised as poor and hardcore poor.

Adopting such a system would provide fairness and transparency during the selection of participants, Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said.

"Agencies who will be carrying out the 1Azam programmes would also pay a visit to the participant's homes to verify that they fall under this category," Fatimah said during the handing over of certificates and equipment to 150 participants of the 1Azam cooking programme at Wisma Wanita yesterday.

Once verified that they are under the poor and hardcore poor category, the agency will then see if they are suited to the programmes.

"We cannot force someone who cannot or have no interest in cooking to take up a cooking programme," Fatimah added.

She said that recommendations would then be made to another agency for the selected individual to attend another course.

The 1Azam programme includes Azam Tani (agriculture), Azam Niaga (entrepreneurship), Azam Khidmat (service) and Azam Kerja (job placement).

Under the e-Kasih database, the ministry would also be able to identify individuals who have participated in the programme.

"This would also help us to avoid redundant participants and give everyone a chance to join the programmes," Fatimah said.

--Courtesy of The Daily Express