KUCHING: The Ministry of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development has spent a total of RM13,072,625 on food assistance for Covid-19 frontliners in the state since the launch of the movement control order (MCO).
Its minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said, the ministry in a meeting on March 22 had agreed to extend food assistance to the frontliners who were carrying out their duties on shifts during the Covid-19 pandemic, at a rate of RM30 per day which included breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper.
“During phase one of the MCO, a total of RM999,635 was spent on food assistance for the Covid-19 frontliners, RM2,507,035 during phase two, RM2,582,255 during phase three, and another RM2,540,380 during phase four.
“And during the conditional MCO period, a total RM4,443,320 was spent,” she said at a press conference at Wisma Kebajikan in Petra Jaya today.
Fatimah said as of today, 11,093 Covid-19 frontliners from 18 agencies including the media had received the food packages totalling 1,076,698.
She revealed that the prime minister had on March 26, agreed to allocate 70 per cent of the Covid-19 Fund to the federal Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development to cover the food supply programme expenses for those in need during the MCO period.
“In addition, the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) had also allocated a total of RM9,066,000 to the National Welfare Foundation to support this food supply programme,” she said.
She added under Nadma, some 11,605 food baskets were distributed to the affected groups during phase one of the MCO, and 5,162 food baskets distributed during phase two of the MCO throughout Sarawak.
Earlier, Fatimah handed over Nadma’s food basket assistance to two recipients — Lumpang Bantang and Edward Adon. Receiving the food basket on behalf of Lumpang was her daughter, Julia Lumpang.
Lumpang, aged 67 years, is residing at the Resettlement Scheme Stapok, Batu Kawa. He was diagnosed with stage-four cancer and had undergone chemotherapy treatment for more than 20 sessions.
He is under the care of his daughter, Julia and due to his health condition Lumpang was entitled to receive a monthly assistance of RM350 under the critically ill patient’s relief scheme.
The other recipient, 43-year-old Edward, from Kampung Tubih Mawang is currently residing with his family in Kampung Semariang. He was diagnosed with kidney problem and undergoing haemodialysis treatment three times a week at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) Kuching since 2012.
Due to his condition, Edward is unable to work and had to depend on the welfare’s department monthly assistance of RM300. He is also supporting his wife and two children who are still young.
