SIBU, Feb 4: Recipients of food basket have been told to be patient as there is a delay in distribution due to stricter SOP guidelines to follow under the current Movement Control Order (MCO).
Chairman of Sibu Disaster Management Committee, Charles Siaw said at a press conference today that during MCO 1.0 distribution of the item was carried out more easily as compared to MCO 2.0 where the SOPs are stringent.
Siaw said from Jan 20 until today only 25,529 recipients or 44.19% out of the total of 57,774 in Sibu district had received their food baskets.
Each package consisted of cooking oil, a bag of rice, sugar, flour, canned sardin, biscuit, tea, and instant noodle worth RM70.
The State Government is spending RM5.1 million to provide food baskets for the needy in the 11 state constituencies in Sibu, Selangau and Kanowit.
As for the 3,000 selected recipients in Sibu Jaya, he said distribution of aid had to put on hold as the township is under MCO.
“The centralised distribution centre is at Sibu Foochow Association premises at Jalan Salim. Residents of Sibu Jaya can only go in and out with police permit. That is why we have to put on hold the distribution,” he said.
Siaw also thanked Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) Sibu branch for assisting in distributing the food basket.
“Of the 1,350 names submitted by SDNU Sibu, 710 households had received the aid leaving a balance of 640 who will be receiving theirs soon,” he said.
SDNU Sibu branch chairman, Chambai Lindong who attended the same press conference said they would continue to work and co-operate with the Resident Office and District Office and all government departments to ensure that the general welfare, security, health and safety of the community will be looked after and taken care off during MCO 2.0. — DayakDaily
