CORONAVIRUS | Pasir Pinji state assemblyperson Howard Lee has proposed that the government allow charity groups to continue their efforts to send aid to the needy with conditions.
He said such conditions could include mandatory personal protection equipment (PPE), training or having teams overseen by a member of enforcement agencies.
"This approach will definitely be better than preventing NGOs, youth groups and welfare bodies from helping," he said in a statement today.
Lee (photo, above) said such groups were better suited for welfare work because of their experience in working with marginalised communities.
Moreover, he said government front-liners were already stretched.
Similarly, Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said his team's community work during the Covid-19 outbreak was done in cooperation with the authorities.
"We also received data from the Health Department and information from local communities to guide us in our work," he said.
In view of this, he urged the government to give civil society some leeway.
"Making it difficult for vulnerable communities to get help in this time is not only inhumane but also self-defeating in our efforts to curb Covid-19," he said.
Yesterday, Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said NGOs should not be distributing food or other necessities house-to-house during the movement control order (MCO) period because they risk spreading the Covid-19 virus.
Instead, Ismail wanted NGOs to donate food to soon-to-be established government-run distribution centres. - Mkini
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