KUCHING: The State Special Committee on Food Aid has been set up by the state government to help those in need during the extended movement control order (MCO) period implemented to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“This food aid will be able to help the low-income and no-income groups by providing basic dry rations such as rice, sugar, cooking oil, tea and coffee, biscuits, and noodles to needy families in each constituency as soon as possible,” said Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
“We know that with the extended MCO, the poor and those who are daily paid feel the pinch the most,” she said in a statement yesterday.
She noted that these individuals faced cash flow issues and had difficulty providing food for their families while awaiting the disbursement of the government’s monetary assistance for the B40 (low-income) group at the end of April and in May.
She said that the Divisional State Disaster Management Committee was being mobilised, of which membership consisted of Residents, District Officers, elected representatives, the service centres of elected representatives, relevant government agencies, and local councils.
“Our state government is very much aware of the hardship faced by the low-income and no-income groups, as well as those with special needs,” said Fatimah, who is also deputy chairperson of the State Special Committee on Food Aid.
She said that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had announced the establishment of two special committees — one of them being the State Special Committee on Food Aid.
“Yesterday (Friday, March 27), our committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan had a meeting,” she said.
According to her, the meeting had entailed a number of matters including that the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs was to ensure that basic food supplies were sufficient.
She said that the meeting had also involved discussions on the modus operandi for purchase and distribution, logistics, target groups for food aid, and budget allocation.
Fatimah said that elected representatives and their service centres, as well as Residents, District Officers, and relevant government agencies would act as one.
