KUCHING, Mar 26: Sarawak government has set up a Food Supply Chain sub-committee to ensure food security across the state is not affected amid the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the committee, under the State Security Committee, will monitor food sufficiency and make sure there is no interruption in the supply chain.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan will head the committee, he added.
“The committee will monitor the supply of strategic commodity such as rice, sugar and other essential items,” he told a press conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today.
Abang Johari was responding to a question whether the state would experience any shortage of food supply, especially in the rural areas. He gave assurance that the committee will monitor the situation.
The setting up of the committee was to ensure the state would not face a food security crisis amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, especially considering that many food exporting countries might suspend their exports to ensure domestic supplies are sufficient.
At the media conference, the chief minister also announced that the state had set up another sub-committee dealing with security that will be led by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing.
Abang Johari added that the state will enhance its border control and monitor human traffic along the borders with neighbouring Kalimantan (Indonesia) and Brunei, to prevent “import” of the coronavirus.
“In view of the extended Movement Control Order for another two weeks until April 14, I am seeking the cooperation of all Sarawakians to abide by the MCO to stay indoors,” he said.
Malaysia has entered the ninth day of the original two-week long MCO to contain and break the chain of the Covid-19 infection. —DayakDaily
