MURDER VICTIM'S FAMILY RECEIVES PERKESO'S SURVIVOR'S PENSION, FUNERAL MANAGEMENT BENEFIT

KUANTAN, March 7 (Bernama) -- The Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) has awarded a one-time payment of RM3,000 in Funeral Management Benefit (FPM) and the Survivor's Pension to the beneficiaries of murder victim Norshamira Zainal.

Pahang PERKESO director Hisham Abdul Rahman said the murder victim's husband, 32-year-old Mohammad Afiq Akhmal Nudin and their five-year-old son, Ayden Mikhael Mohammad Afiq Akhmal, are eligible for the survivor's pension of RM1,085 a month.

"We found that Norshamira did not register or make contributions under the Self-Employment Scheme based on our review. However, information obtained indicates that she had worked and contributed to PERKESO, with the last contribution made in 2021.

"This qualifies her family members to receive PERKESO benefits. Her husband is eligible to receive survivor's pension for life and their son until he reaches 21,” he told reporters here today.

He said this after handing over the benefits to the victim's beneficiaries at Taman PSJ, near Sungai Karang Darat, which was also attended by the Pahang Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Sim Chon Siang.

Meanwhile, Sim, who is also the Teruntum state assemblyman, urged the public to contribute to PERKESO even if they are self-employed to enjoy the benefits provided.

"(The contributions) are extremely crucial because we do not know what may happen in the future. It is understood that PERKESO is proposing non-disaster-related accident protection to Parliament and, if approved, the benefits will be even broader and not limited to work-related protection only,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Afiq Akhmal expressed his gratitude for the assistance, saying he did not expect that he and his son would be eligible to receive the survivor’s pension benefits due to his wife's PERKESO contributions.

"This assistance will surely help us financially. My son seems to have accepted his mother's passing. Although he sometimes acts out, it might be a sign of protest because he was very spoiled by his late mother,” he said.

The media had previously reported that the body of 37-year-old food trader Norshamira was discovered by the river near the Tanjung Lumpur Bridge here and that subsequent investigations revealed signs of foul play.

-- BERNAMA