CORONAVIRUS | The Social Welfare Department (JKM) had agreed to distribute food aid to just 250 recipients named by Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai in his constituency.
This is from the 1,000 Covid-19 government-sponsored food packs for the B40 lower-income group which had been allocated for each constituency.
On Monday, the DAP lawmaker had said JKM had taken the 250 packs but he was unsure who the intended recipients were.
Tan claimed that the department requested for a list of names after repeated queries from his office.
“After our complaint, JKM is now willing to give the food aid to the names (of recipients) provided by us,” Tan said to Malaysiakini today.
However, Tan, who is also DAP chairperson, said it was not clear if his team would be allowed to help distribute the packs and they have not been issued any approval letter.
“Initially, JKM told us we can help to distribute the aid, as we know the families who need help, we can speed up the distribution
“Although they now promise to give the aid to the names on the list that we provide, they still have not answered us on whether local MPs can help to distribute (the aid) or not.
“Without the approval letter from JKM, we can’t simply distribute the aid. Yet they are not willing to issue is the letter to us till now,” he added.
On Monday, Tan revealed that up to 750 Covid-19 food packs, which included groceries and rice, for the lower-income group have been left undistributed at the Bandar Tun Razak Sports Complex for two weeks.
He alleged he was denied his share of the food aid to distribute as he was an opposition lawmaker, while the 1,000-bags allocation for Bandar Tun Razak constituency - held by Deputy Foreign Minister Kamaruddin Jaafar - were already distributed.
Last Friday, Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh had claimed that at least 54 opposition parliamentary constituencies had yet to receive the food aid allocation for their respective constituencies.
Yeoh, who previously served as women, family and community development deputy ministry Minister alleged that Segambut itself only received 250 packs.
It was reported the only opposition-held constituency to receive its full quota of 1,000 was Langkawi, which is represented by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, while Kangar and Kubang Pasu had received 900 hampers each.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.