Back in 2021, the Selangor state government digitised the health care system by incorporating all public health initiatives into a single app — Selangkah.

Over the years, Selangkah has introduced a comprehensive suite of services, seamlessly merging health, fintech, welfare, and lifestyle, solidifying Selangkah’s position as the official digital platform and ecosystem for the Selangor State Government’s e-health and e-welfare services.

Recently the team proudly unveiled its noteworthy achievement as the first tech provider in the country to develop a precision subsidy distribution system for the state’s MamaKerja child care incentive program. Introduced by Exco Pembangunan Wanita dan Kebajikan Masyarakat Selangor, Anfaal Saari, MamaKerja provides a one-time cash incentive of RM1,000 to ease the financial burden of child care for 5,000 working mothers in Selangor.

To create an effective system, the Selangkah team introduced the precision subsidy distribution system to devise an efficient cross checking mechanism by comparing MamaKerja applicants’ household socioeconomic status with recipients of three other welfare aid programs under the Selangor State Government:

1. Skim Bantuan Asuhan Anakku Pintar (Asuh Pintar)

2. Skim Bantuan Tadika (TUNAS)

3. Bantuan Kehidupan Sejahtera Selangor (BINGKAS)

Selangkah Ventures Sdn Bhd Chief Information Officer, Dr Helmi Zakariah said that based on the recent reports from The World Bank, access to affordable child care such as MamaKerja, widens the potential of economic participation by women which will positively impact the Social Determinants of Health (SODH).

For the uninitiated, this is a concept adopted by the World Health Organisation where factors outside the health domain, such as early education, safe housing, child care, and built environment; significantly influences a person's lifelong health outlook.

"In leveraging technology to develop the precision subsidy distribution system for MamaKerja, Selangkah is not only advancing welfare-tech but also contributing to the broader goal of creating a fairer, transparent, and equitable society,” said Dr Helmi. “By ensuring targeted support reaches those who need it most, we align with our commitment to foster a progressive and inclusive environment."

Tapping into technology to create a progressive and inclusive society

Selangkah’s Tech Development and Cybersecurity Officer, Muttaqqin Eshamuddin, said in line with the Selangor state welfare’s vision towards its citizens, Selangkah believes in corroborating the vision in enhancing the well-being of working mothers and creating opportunities for women to thrive professionally while ensuring the well-being of their children.

The precision subsidy distribution is a natural progression of their ongoing efforts to harness technology in order to establish an inclusive society. It was built based on four key objectives:

1. Efficiency and fairness

2. Transparency and accountability

3. Targeted support

4. Data-driven decision-making

A fairer, transparent, and equitable welfare aid distribution

“Because of the legacy design on how we commonly distribute our welfare and aids, it opens up the risk of repetitive applications, redundancy in claims, and the inability to graduate people out from the scheme. Limited budget means only a limited number of people can benefit from such scheme, so it is important that the distribution reaches those who need it, and only when they need it,” explained Muttaqqin.

By cross checking applicants with those of other welfare aid programs, Selangkah’s aim is to:

• minimise redundancy

• provide transparency to stakeholders

• ensure that the support reaches those who need it the most with the widest possible impact 

Impressive technological innovations employed in the precision subsidy distribution system

1. Utilises multiple API for cross checking mechanism, enhancing precision by identifying and excluding individuals who are already receiving aid from other programs.

2. Leverages data analytics to analyse and interpret the socioeconomic status of MamaKerja applicants. This data driven approach ensures that subsidies are allocated based on specific criteria and the actual needs of working mothers.

3. Equipped with real-time monitoring capabilities to allow authorities to track the progress of subsidy applications, identify any potential issues and ensure timely and accurate subsidy disbursal.

4. Implements robust security measures to safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of the data collected during the subsidy application process. This includes encryption protocols and other security features to protect sensitive information.

5. Encourages cross agency data exchange collaborations in line with the National Data Sharing Policy (NDSP) recently announced by the Federal Government. The policy action and innovation by Anfaal is significant because it creates the framework for various aid agencies to cross-collaborate in data exchange.

Being agile and adaptive to evolving societal needs

Dr Helmi says that as demographics shift, with many countries facing ageing populations, and as cultural norms evolve, the demand for care is on the up. “To stay updated, we keep our outlook aligned with the new emerging agenda of Care Economy globally. There are some best practices that can be emulated from countries with similar development philosophies.”

He added that in the second quarter of 2024, Selangor would outline five important elements in establishing a framework or policy related to the Care Economy involving children, women and the elderly in the state. Selangkah will continue to work closely with lawmakers, community leaders and civil society to ensure it closes the gaps by leveraging the competitive advantage of technology and innovation.

Dr Helmi said, “There are further products to be developed and deployed within the scope of the Selangor State’s Care Economy Agenda. We encourage the public to look forward to all the upcoming endeavours by Selangkah in the near future.” 

Interested in exploring more of Selangkah's initiatives? Download the Selangkah App via Google Play Store, Apple App Store or Huawei App Gallery, or visit www.selangkah.my now. Additionally, visit MamaKerja’s official website to learn more about the incentive program.

This article is provided by Selangkah.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.