Cameron MP slams Jakoa bureaucracy after villagers denied food aid

 

Cameron Highlands MP Ramli Mohd Noor today slammed the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) for neglecting the welfare of two villages in the constituency which have been put under quarantine due to the surge of Covid-19.

In a statement, the BN lawmaker said Jakoa had neglected its duty by not channelling food baskets to Pos Menson and Pos Betau for one month.

As a result, he said the villagers could not make preparation for the total lockdown, which will start tomorrow.

"The villagers were 'confined' and not given food aid to curb the Covid-19 outbreak. This happened about a month ago. Where is the logic?

"I was made to understand that Jakoa did not allow its branch in Pahang to make an emergency procurement to get food supply for both settlements," he said.

Ramli said the Emergency Expenditure Guidelines (AP55) and Emergency Procurement (173.2) permit emergency procurement to curb the spread of Covid-19.

"The question is why Jakoa did not implement this provision and did not delegate its power to the state director for the welfare of the Orang Asli?" he questioned.

"What is Jakoa's plan pertaining to the two-week total lockdown? Will the Orang Asli community in Malaysia be locked down without any food aid as what happened at Pos Menson and Pos Betau?

"I would like to remind Jakoa to be more empathetic, sensitive and caring in issues related to food aid; they are human beings and Malaysians. Don't confine them without food aid," he said. - Mkini