KUCHING: Food aid for rural folks in Sarawak will be dispatched by air starting tomorrow, said the state Welfare, Community, Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah (pix).
She said a total of 2,868 household heads (KIRs) in six areas would benefit from the programme, initiated to assist rural people during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
The project will be carried out by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) and state-owned air service company Hornbill Skyways, she said via WhatsApp to reporters today.
Fatimah said the delivery to Telang Usan, Mulu, Batu Danau, Batang Ai, Murum and Meluan is expected to complete in four days, weather permitting.
She added they also received a new request from Balleh in Kapit.
Fatimah said the 2,868 KIRs were among 444,329 household heads identified by the state government to receive the State Food Aid, announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg last week.
Abang Johari who allocated RM16.4 million for the aid would also be witnessing the first trip of the food aid delivery to Bario, remote highlands in interior Sarawak, from Miri tomorrow.
“The aid is to ensure that ‘there is food on the table’, especially among the households which are worst hit by the MCO, where the coordination would be handled by the Food Supply Chain Sub-Committee chaired by Deputy Chief Minister III, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan,” Fatimah said.
To date, a total of 67 constituencies have started receiving food aid. - Bernama
