KUCHING, April 4: The state will begin sending food aid using helicopters to rural constituencies, amid the movement control order (MCO), beginning tomorrow.
The five constituencies, the first to receive the food aid, are Telang Usan, Mulu, Batang Ai, Murum and Meluan, benefitting 2,712 households.
The state food supply chain committee deputy chairperson, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, estimated the transportation of food essentials to the targeted areas to take between four and five days.
“We have two sources of helicopters, from the air force and Hornbill Skyways, that will be coordinated by the armed forces, which oversee the whole operation.
“The pick up point is from Miri to Bario and expected to make four trips on that day,” the state Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister said in a statement.
Fatimah added that there were new requests to use the helicopter services to deliver food aid to other rural constituencies such as Baleh in Kapit.
She said there are 250 households living in Long Singut, Long Unai, Long Busang and Sang Anau in the Baleh constituency, which needed to be supplied with food essentials through the use of helicopter.
She added that the Kapit Resident will submit all the details to the food supply chain committee in the near future.
On a similar note, Fatimah said 444,329 households in 82 constituencies in Sarawak will benefit from the food aid provided by the state government during the MCO.
The food supply chain committee has delivered food aid to 67 constituencies as of today, she continued.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, on March 29, announced an allocation of RM16.4 million for the state food aid initiative to ensure the people, especially those living in the rural and remote areas, are being provided with food essentials during the restricted movement period.
Fatimah said each constituency will receive RM200,000 assistance to provide basic necessities to mitigate the effect of MCO. — DayakDaily
