FOOD aid, said to be worth only RM35 each instead of the government-stated RM100, are not from the Welfare Department, said Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today.

He said the packages are those contributed by civil societies to be given to the needy during the movement-control order (MCO) period.

“On this issue, certain quarters said the food packs, which were supposed to be worth RM100, were only worth RM35.

“However this morning, Women and Family Development Minister Rina Harun informed that the centres gathering food packs from the Welfare Department are also receiving food packs from the civil society groups,” he said in his daily press briefing.

“We did not impose any fixed cost for their contributions. They can contribute at any amount from RM30 to RM100, or even RM200 depending on their capabilities,” he added.

A Chinese daily today quoted Rasah MP Cha Kee Chin as saying the total retail price of all the items in the food packs given at his constituency was only RM35, and not RM100.

He said he had applied for food aid for the bottom 40 in Rasah, who qualify Women and Family Development Ministry food aid scheme.

Cha also said that despite applying for 950 food packs, he only received 150, even though his constituency is entitled to 1,000 packs in an updated list. – April 24, 2020.