SIBU: Residents in five state constituencies in this district, who have difficulty getting food supplies following the Movement Control Order (MCO), will receive aid under the Sarawak Government Food Assistance Programme.
State Education, Science and Technological Research Assistant Minister Dr Annuar Rapa’ee told a press conference yesterday that the list of recipients and their background would be reviewed and scrutinised by the Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee (SDDMC) to ensure that no one, irrespective of whether they were from opposition or government constituencies, was left out of the RM1 million programme.
He said those living in urban areas in the five state constituencies — Pelawan and Bukit Assek (under DAP); Dudong and Bawang Assan (PSB); and Nangka (GPS-PBB) — could submit their applications through WhatsApp created by SDDMC while those in rural areas could apply through their respective tuai rumah (longhouse chiefs) or village leaders.
Dr Annuar, who is also the Nangka state assemblyman, said that from Sunday till yesterday, a total of 2,306 applications were received, and aid was channelled to 317 affected families.
Meanwhile, he refuted claims by a portal on April 5 that he supposedly had control of the RM1 million fund allocated for the food programme.
He said this was not true as the fund was channelled directly to SDDMC, which is responsible for managing the state government’s relief programme. – Bernama
