KUCHING, April 5: More then 95 per cent of those in name lists submitted by DAP Sarawak to the State Welfare Department have yet to receive the food aid, claimed DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen.
Chong in a press statement today disclosed that Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak submitted the names and contact details of more than 3,000 families in need of food supplies since March 30, 2020, and has also personally met with Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah to request for immediate action on the matter.
“As of today, we checked that more than 95 per cent of those we asked have not received any essential food items. The other 5 per cent received some food assistance from church groups, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or some from our DAP members as personal donations,” he revealed.
Chong added that he is also disappointed with the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government responses on the matter.
He opined that if the state government could not provide the assistance needed, then others should not be stopped from contributing help.
Chong also questioned the figures announced by Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah that a total of 444,329 households have benefited from the RM16.4 million in state food aid announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
According to Chong, that is not the case on the ground;; at least, the 3,000 plus households applying through two DAP Service Centres did not receive anything from this allocation through the State Welfare Department.
“Did Fatimah overstate the figure or was it discrimination and persecution of those who have approached DAP service centres to ask for help?
“As such, we will have to source for funds and essential food items to give out to those applicants and apply for police permits to allow our members and volunteers to deliver the food items,” he added.
At the same time, Chong noted that the delivery of essential food to those applicants will be delivered on Tuesday (April 7).
He also reminded those who wanted to donate to the fund for purchasing food items to be distributed to the needy, can do so through Democratic Action Party Malaysia Kuching Branch’s bank account number 016 00 21140 1, under Hong Leong Bank Berhad. — DayakDaily
