KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 — Did you know that you can apply for special government aid of up to RM5,000 if you are the next of kin or the closest relative of a Malaysian who has died due to Covid-19 or even due to "long-Covid” or long-term side effects from the disease?

Here’s a quick guide on whether you qualify for this aid and how to apply, based on information from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma):

1. What is this aid?

According to Nadma’s website, the Covid-19 Death Management Special Assistance is a one-off aid of up to RM5,000 given to the next-of-kin of Malaysians who had a Covid-19 related death. 

In other words, a Covid-19 related death would cover both those who died "due to Covid-19” and those who died "with Covid-19”. 

Nadma can, however, decide the amount of aid given based on the documentation provided or reject applications that did not comply with the required conditions.

2. Who qualifies for this aid?

The Covid-19 deceased person has to be a Malaysian, in order for the next of kin to qualify to apply.

This aid is only to be given directly to one single next-of-kin, if the application is successful. 

If there are many next-of-kin that file multiple applications, Nadma said it would consider only the first application received and that dealings between the next of kin would be their responsibility. 

In considering the applications, Nadma will only accept the Health Ministry’s verification of Covid-19 related deaths (deaths due to Covid-19 and deaths with Covid-19).

3. What are Covid-19 related deaths?

While Malaysia’s Covid-19 death toll only includes "deaths due to Covid-19”, this special aid scheme applies for both situations involving "deaths due to Covid-19” and "deaths with Covid-19”.

According to the Health Ministry’s definition, "deaths due to Covid-19” for deaths which occurred in hospitals would have to fulfil several criteria such as being a Covid-19 positive case, no clear alternative cause of death unrelated to Covid-19 such as road traffic accident, no period of complete recovery from Covid-19 between illness and death, and Covid-19 being the reason for severe course even if there is a pre-existing disease like cancer.

As for those who were brought in dead, these cases are to be classified as "deaths due to Covid-19” based on the autopsy report, or must meet the following criteria if an autopsy is not conducted, namely being a confirmed Covid-19 positive case and having an epidemiological link to other Covid-19 cases.

As for Covid-19 related deaths that do not meet the above criteria, these would be categorised as "deaths with Covid-19”.

The documents required are the completed application form that has been verified by the hospital who notified of the Covid-19 related death, a copy of the death certificate stating Covid-19, a copy of the identity card of the deceased and a copy of the identity card of the next of kin. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

4. How to apply?

Nadma said it will reject any applications that have incomplete application forms and incomplete documentation.

The documents required are the completed application form that has been verified by the hospital who notified of the Covid-19 related death, a copy of the death certificate stating Covid-19, a copy of the identity card of the deceased and a copy of the identity card of the next of kin.

Also required is a bank statement of the next of kin’s bank account that is still active, as the aid would be directly transferred into the kin’s account if the application is approved and within 30 working days from the date Nadma receives complete application documents.

The application and complete documents can either be posted to Nadma at a specific postal address listed on its website, or be sent online via https://bkcovid19.nadma.gov.my/v2/

Nadma said there would be "fast-track” processing for applications with death certificates stating Covid-19 and with application forms that have been verified by hospitals, noting that these types of applications would not have to be cross-checked with the Health Ministry’s data.

Nadma’s decisions on the applications are final and cannot be appealed, with the verification of Covid-19-related deaths to be based only on the Health Ministry’s records.

Family members wait in the distance as their loved ones are buried at the Raudhatul Sakinah Bukit Kiara 1 Muslim cemetery. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

5. How many have received and how many more are eligible but did not apply yet?

As of August 6, a total of 11,816 next-of-kin or the closest relatives of Malaysians who had died with and due to Covid-19 have received a combined RM59.08 million under this special government aid.

This figure was disclosed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Dr Abd Latiff Ahmad in a written parliamentary reply on December 7.

"This Covid-19 Death Management Special Assistance only covers cases of deaths with and due to Covid-19 as issued by the Health Ministry of Malaysia, regardless of whether the death was due to Covid-19 short-term or long-term effects,” he had said.

The minister was replying to Kubang Pasu MP Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah’s question on how many had received this aid and whether the government would consider giving this aid directly to the kin without them having to make applications, and whether the same aid would be considered for the kin of those who died due to "long-term effects of coronavirus” or "long Covid-19”.

Previously, Nadma had said 2,061 next-of-kin had received RM10.3 million as of August 6 under the Covid-19 Death Management Special Assistance and with 590 applications still being processed and 967 applications under data matching then. At that time, there were a total of 3,618 applications, including the 2,061 approved applications.

Later on September 3, Nadma said that it had at that time received 4,311 applications with 3,496 being eligible to receive such aid, and that RM16.1 million to 3,235 next of kin had been channeled as of September 2. However, Nadma had said that about 13,000 next of kin had yet to apply for the aid.

Subsequently, on November 18, Nadma was reported as saying that only 6,000 applications for the special aid had been received and that there were many more next of kin who had yet to apply for the financial assistance.

Nadma had also said applications for this aid will be closed once Malaysia enters the Covid-19 endemic phase and that it would be then for the Cabinet to decide if the assistance should be continued.

In the latest available figures as of December 7, the Health Ministry’s CovidNow portal shows that 30,718 deaths due to Covid-19 have so far been recorded in the country, with 23,125 being Malaysians and 3,509 being non-Malaysians.

Based on Malay Mail’s calculation of the latest CovidNow data of 23,125 of Malaysians who died from Covid-19 and the parliamentary reply of 11,816 next of kin, there would be at least 11,309 more next of kin who can apply for this special aid.

The RM100 aid per day for the maximum two-week period is subject to how long the applicant was quarantined or warded for treatment, and is a one-off measure that will not be given for those who were later reinfected with Covid-19. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng

Conditions for one-off Covid-19 daily RM100 aid; capped at 14 days

Separately, in another written parliamentary reply on December 7, Dr Abd Latiff said 465 kin of those deceased in Sarawak have as of December 6 received a combined total of RM2.235 million in this special aid to deal with Covid-19 deaths, with applications that were rejected involving those who were non-citizens or deaths not due to Covid-19.

He also said a total of 1,773 applicants with addresses in Sarawak had also as of December 6 received a combined RM2.054 million in terms of the one-off Special Covid-19 Assistance, which helps those who lost their income while being quarantined or while being warded for Covid-19.

As for why applications for the special one-off Covid-19 aid — at RM100 per day for a maximum 14-day period — were rejected, the minister explained that this was due to the applicant being a non-citizen, or who was unemployed or did not have any income before being quarantined.

He was replying to Lanang MP Alice Lau Kiong Yieng who had asked for the number of approved applications from Sarawak for such aid, and the main reason for why there were applications rejected despite coming with the required information and documents as stated in the conditions. 

As for the Special Covid-19 Assistance, Nadma’s website states that this is only for Malaysian citizens working in Malaysia but who had lost their source of income or were not paid their wages due to being quarantined under the Health Ministry’s Covid-19 quarantine order or due to being warded in hospital for Covid-19 treatment.

The RM100 aid per day for the maximum two-week period is subject to how long the applicant was quarantined or warded for treatment, and is a one-off measure that will not be given for those who were later reinfected with Covid-19. Full and complete applications with the relevant supporting documents are also required.

Apart from being a non-citizen or those who were not working in Malaysia or who were unemployed before quarantine, those who had continued to receive income or salary while being quarantined or warded for Covid-19 will not be given this aid, Nadma’s website stated.

Previously, on May 24, Nadma had said it had received 27,919 applications for this aid, and that 13,036 individuals whose income was affected had at that time received a combined RM17.693 million under the special aid.