Fatimah (second left) inspects the food items at the centre. – Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (Aug 10): Over RM20.4 million has been spent by the state Welfare Department as of July 28 to supply food aid to areas under Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), said Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
“There were 1,475 areas placed under EMCO as of July 28, involving 181,333 heads of households. We have so far spent RM20.4 million to provide dry food items for them.
“Only one area was placed under EMCO in 2020, which was Kampung Haji Baki involving 4,196 heads of households. We spent RM305,092.70 to supply food aid to them,” she said when launching the Rumah Tetangga (RT) Cares Community Food Collection and Distribution Centre at Jalan Ong Tiang Swee here yesterday.
Fatimah said the state government had the means to provide food aid to people placed under EMCO.
She also said there were many generous people out there, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and corporate bodies who had come forward to help the needy.
“From the look of things, no one is left behind as there are so many kind people who are providing aid and giving donations. We hope such spirit of togetherness will continue as it is a good example of a community that cares.
“We hope that when they receive the food aid from various sources, they will receive it with gratitude instead of comparing the amount or value. Don’t let that be an issue,” she said.
On the RT Cares programme, Fatimah explained that it was an initiative of the Ministry of National Unity to ensure community wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic through the empowerment of Rukun Tetangga.
She said RT Cares centres were set up throughout the country involving 116 districts or divisions, which serve as operations centres for the collection and distribution of food baskets and basic necessities.
“The target groups are those in the community of the Rukun Tetangga areas, such as B40 category including the disabled, single mothers, the elderly and the economically vulnerable; those who have lost their sources of income; and also those who have disruption of food supply,” she said.
Dry food items such as rice, canned sardines, milk, sugar, tea, biscuits, vermicelli and noodles can help ease their burden, she added.
Thirty-two KRT chairpersons from Kuching City South Council (MBKS) areas attended the launching ceremony yesterday.