KEMAMAN: Terengganu Umno chief Ahmad Said has come to the defence of several volunteers who were seen taking photographs with Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar on Friday.
“Punish me if I am found guilty, but not the volunteers who work hard to help deliver aid to the poor,” he said, in response to complaints that the group had violated restrictions on gatherings under the movement control order.
He said Ahmad Samsuri had arrived at his home to discuss several matters about aid distribution. At the time, volunteers from his Kijal state constituency were present, arranging the items to be handed out.
“They (volunteers) were thrilled to have the opportunity to meet the menteri besar and started taking pictures….it was in this excitement that they forgot to observe social distancing with one another,” he told reporters here today.
Ahmad apologised to Malaysians over the lack of social distancing portrayed in the photos, while also urging them not to ‘punish’ the volunteers, as they were only working tirelessly without payment to distribute the aid to those in need.
He said there were more than 10,000 homes in the Kijal state constituency, and he decided that the assistance should be given to all the houses in stages, with help from the volunteers.
“In fact, the police are always kept abreast of the movements of these 20 volunteers, and they do not go to distribute the aid in groups, they are split up to head to different villages.
“So far, we have distributed the aid to 6,000 homes, and are working on the remaining 4,000 homes, as we do not want volunteers to work during the fasting period,” he said.
Ahmad, a former menteri besar, said members of the public detained so far had no clear reason to be out during the period, while political leaders had to be ‘on the move’ for the welfare of the people. - FMT
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