Will food aid in Johor be distributed via Perikatan leaders, JB MP asks

CORONAVIRUS | Johor Bahru MP Akmal Nasir wants the state government to come clean on whether food aid in opposition constituencies in Johor will be distributed via Perikatan Nasional (PN) grassroots leaders.

"Is it true there's a written instruction issued by the Johor Menteri Besar's office to the Social Welfare Department (SWD) so that aid to the 11 opposition Parliament constituencies in Johor are handed to five representatives (at each constituency), who are believed to represent political parties?" he said in a statement today.

The affected constituencies are Sekijang, Labis, Ledang, Bakri, Kluang, Tebrau, Pasir Gudang, Johor Bahru, Pulai, and Iskandar Puteri.

Akmal (photo, above) said according to the letter, each constituency would get around 750 packs, which would be divided between Umno, MCA, MIC, PAS and Bersatu to be distributed.

Umno would get the biggest chunk of aid to be distributed, at about 250 packs each, while Bersatu and PAS would get around 150 and MCA and MIC would get 100 each to be distributed.

A copy of the purported letter sighted by Malaysiakini shows a list of five names for each constituency, except for Ledang where there are three names sharing the 200 packs of aid to be distributed.

A check of the names on the list reveals that they are grassroots leaders from PN.

Malaysiakini has contacted Johor Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad for comment.

Akmal said this appeared to be unfairly treating the government agencies such as the SWD as political tools.

"This is government aid that needs to be distributed fairly to those entrusted to carry out their responsibilities, not party representatives," he said.

He also questioned whether this can be considered abuse of power.

Several opposition MPs have complained that the distribution of government food aid in their constituencies had been stymied due to politicking. - Mkini