Awg Tengah denies food aid fixed at RM100 per household

KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan has refuted claims that the value of food aid that will be distributed to Sarawakians under an initiative of the state government has been fixed at RM100 per household.

Responding to the claims on social media, he told a press conference here yesterday that the Food Supply Network Sub-Committee, which he is heading, has never issued any statement on the value of food per household.

“The state government through the Food Supply Chain Committee has never released any statement saying that the value of food aid will be fixed at RM100.

“All we said was an allocation of RM16.4 million has been approved by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg for the distribution of essential food items to target groups throughout the state to ensure there is enough food for everybody during the movement control order (MCO),” he said during a press conference which was streamed live via social media yesterday.

He assured the people that the state government will also do whatever it can to distribute the food aid throughout the 82 constituencies in the state and make sure that food supply throughout the state will always be enough.

Commenting on the initiatives of several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and elected representatives to distribute food in their respective areas, Awang Tengah pointed out that it was an initiative of their own.

“It was distributed at their own discretion. We, however, appreciate their efforts to help in supplying food to those who are in need in the state,” he said.

Awang Tengah said the issue of food supply should never arise because the state government will always make sure that food is enough for the people in the state.

As for the needy families who cannot find food during the period of Movement Control Order (MCO), Awang Tengah also said that the state government will do its best to identify them to enable them to receive the aid.

With the assurance given by the state government that food supply is enough, he hoped that Sarawakians will not resort to panic buying during the MCO period.

The state government through the Food Supply Chain Committee has never released any statement saying that the value of food aid will be fixed at RM100.

Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan