800 POS in rural Sarawak allowed to operate from 7am to 4pm daily during MCO

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Awang Tengah is seen speaking to Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah via video conferencing in a meeting earlier today.

KUCHING: A total 800 points of sales (POS) in the rural areas of Sarawak are now allowed to operate from 7am to 4pm daily during this current Movement Control Order (MCO) period.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said this was agreed by the Food Supply Chain Sub-committee chaired by him today after Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) assured him that these 800 POS have been resupplied with essential food items.

Awang Tengah said KPDNHEP gave him such assurance after he had earlier instructed the ministry to ensure that there must be sufficient food supply for Sarawak, particularly the essential items such as rice, sugar, cooking oil and flour to last for at least three months.

“Therefore, there is no need for panic buying or hoarding of these food items,” he said in a press statement issued today.

Awang Tengah, who is also Second Minister of Rural Development and Natural Resources, is still working from home and in self-quarantine until after tomorrow (April 10) despite being tested negative for Covid-19 on Tuesday (April 7).

On another matter, he assured there was no political favouritism involved in the distribution of food aid when selecting recipients for this assistance programme funded by Sarawak government.

He said Sarawak government had allocated RM16.4 million for this assistance programme specifically to ensure that there is enough food for everyone who needs to be assisted, not just those living in the rural areas but also the many urban poor and those who have lost their job because of MCO.

He explained the food aid programme is now ongoing, undertaken by the respective Divisional or District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) chaired by the respective Resident or District Officer, with the assistance of all relevant agencies such as Welfare Department, local councils, service centres, relevant non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

He pointed out their role is to identify the target groups who need to be assisted under this food aid programme and deliver the food to them as soon as possible.

“From the very beginning, I have emphasised that we must ensure that there is food on the table for everyone. It is the duty of the DDMC to identify these target groups and to assist them. There is no politics to it.

“Everyone who deserve to be assisted will be assisted, regardless of race, religion or political leanings. I have made this very clear in the very first meeting I chaired on March 27, 2020,” he said.

He also expressed his gratitude to personnel of Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) and Hornbill Skyways whose services are also being enlisted to transport the food supply to the distribution centres in many remote areas although they are also exposing themselves to the Covid-19 virus when carrying out their duties.

According to Awang Tengah, as of yesterday (April 8) the food items have already been delivered to 30 state constituencies namely Tanjung Datu, Pantai Damai, Asajaya, Serembu, Tebedu, Bukit Semuja, Sadong Jaya, Simunjan, Sebuyau, Bukit Begunan, Bukit Saban, Krian, Meradong, Meluan, Dalat, Balingian, Murum, Jepak, Kemena, Bekenu, Lambir, Marudi, Telang Usan, Mulu, Bukit Kota, Tupong, Samariang, Gedong (1st round), Bukit Sari (1st round) and Ba Kelalan (1st round).

“Due to our geographical factors, the distribution of the food aid to the target groups posed many challenges, even though it is our intention to deliver food aid to them soonest possible.

“Some of them may have been missed out unintentionally. If there are any NGOs or persons who have information about the target groups that have been missed out, kindly provide the information to their respective DDMC so that immediate actions can be taken,” he said.

He also said the funds for this food aid programme have been channelled to respective DDMC.

“The procurement of the food items under this programme will be made by the DDMC in compliance with the necessary financial procedures.”