Allow opposition reps to help distribute food aid, assemblyman urges Sabah CM

 

A staff from the Tuaran district office organises food aid for affected residents after the area was placed under CMCO. (Bernama pic)

KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah DAP assemblyman has urged Chief Minister Hajiji Noor to put aside political differences and allow the opposition to work with the state government to ensure food aid is distributed effectively and efficiently.

Luyang assemblyman Phoong Jin Zhe said opposition representatives were ready to look beyond political differences for this effort.

“The chief minister had expressed his disappointment and issued a stern warning to officers who are distributing food aid inefficiently,” he said in a statement today.

“I have mentioned (opposition ready to assist) in my earlier statement on Oct 12 when the government allocated RM2 million worth of food baskets for each district.

“I had suggested to both the state government and local councils to include the assemblyman’s office in the distribution plan regardless of whether they were members of the ruling or opposition coalition.”

Earlier today, Hajiji issued a stern warning to officers on the ground in all districts who have been slow or have failed to deliver much-needed food aid to the people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said he had directed state secretary Safar Untong to monitor the distribution to ensure the government’s food baskets reached all recipients as intended and on time.

Phoong said the elected representatives’ offices had gained experience in distributing food aid in the first phase of the nationwide movement control order (MCO).

“In Luyang, more than 5,000 food baskets were distributed during the first phase of MCO,” he said, adding this proved the respective assemblyman’s offices were well equipped with effective machinery for such distribution work.

“I am thankful to the local authorities, including all police officers and army personnel who have been doing a good job in distributing the food aid.

“However, if there are shortcomings, to achieve the goal of helping the people, we, as local representatives, are willing to assist.

“We must think of the people and empathise with those who are affected severely by the pandemic. The people should be the priority and it is high time for us to serve the country together under these challenging circumstances,” he said. - FMT