Awang Tengah: 73,000 households in Sibu, Selangau and Kanowit to receive MCO food aid

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Awang Tengah at the press conference.

KUCHING  (Jan 18):  The state government will provide food aid to some 73,000 households affected by  the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Sibu starting Wednesday, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

He said that the households are from Sibu, Selangau and Kanowit and the food aid would be channelled to the Sibu Divisional Disaster Management Committee and will be supported by the Sibu, Selangau and Kanowit District Disaster Management Committee.

“The distribution of the food assistance will also be handled by both Divisional and District Disaster Management Committee and we expect to start the distribution in stages from Wednesday (Jan 20),” he told a press conference at his office in Wisma Sumber Alam here today.

Awang Tengah said that the committees would work with community leaders, Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) and non-government organisations (NGOs) to identify the affected recipients.

He added that the state government hoped for the cooperation of all involved as they did not want any household requiring assistance to be left out.

He said the divisional and district disaster management committees are to work together in collaboration with other relevant agencies such as Bomba, Malaysia Civil Defense Force (APM), Armed Forces, Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), local councils, community leaders, JKKKs and other relevant departments and NGOs deliver the food assistance.

“The distribution must comply to the standard operation procedure of Covid-19 MCO. “The technical side is also looking into the logistic and at the same time identifying the households.

“I have asked the Sibu Divisional Disaster Management Committee to identify areas where we need helicopters and and boats so we can deliver the food to every affected household,” he said.

With regard to the food supply, Awang Tengah said KPDNHEP has assured there is enough supply.

On the amount of fund required, he said they will finalise the actual amount later.

He said what was important is they want the make sure that during the MCO period, the food assistance will reach every household within the affected area who are in need.

He said for areas that are inaccessible by road, they may use helicopter or boats to deliver the food.

“I have asked the Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee to identify areas where we need helicopters and and boats so we can deliver the food.

“That is why we need Bomba and the army so they will help out in terms of providing logistic,” he said.

Food items to be distributed will comprise of 10 kilogrammes (kg) of rice, sugar (2 kg), flour (1 kg), canned sardines (2 tins), packet tea or coffee, cooking oil (2 kg), one packet of dry biscuits and one packet of instant noodles in the amount of RM70 per household.