Kuala Krai MP Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman speaks to a press conference in the Parliament building today. – Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 23): The National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) needs to increase the effectiveness of its communication channels in relation to Covid-19 pandemic management coordination and assistance to ensure that the target groups get information.
Special Select Committee on Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department chairman, Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman, said it was understood that the aid for Covid-19 victims and beneficiaries was delayed as they were not informed.
Abdul Latiff, who is also Kuala Krai member of Parliament said, in the discussion with NADMA yesterday, the committee was informed that a total of 18,222 applicants received the Special Income Loss Aid while 4,274 who applied for the Covid-19 Death Management Special Assistance received the aid as of Sept 22.
“With the number of cases in Malaysia reaching over two million, the alarming rise in quarantine cases and death toll now over 20,000… the number who have received assistance is rather low.
“During yesterday’s meeting, we raised these questions, and NADMA said probably the information did not reach the groups,” he told a press conference in the Parliament building today.
According to Abdul Latiff, the committee also proposed several initiatives to help the agency to launch its operations, including working with local leaders such as MPs and state assemblymen to inform the people on the provision of aid to victims and their families.
Under the Special Income Loss Assistance, RM100 a day will be paid for up to a maximum of 14 days to those who have received quarantine orders from the MOH or are undergoing treatment at hospitals or on home surveillance orders.
The one-off Death Management Special Assistance of up to RM5,000 is given to the next-of-kin of those who died due to the virus. – Bernama