FOOD baskets for the underprivileged did not reach some opposition MPs during the movement control order as they were sent to other community leaders in their constituencies, the minister in charge of welfare said.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun denied allegations that opposition constituencies were denied aid during the MCO. 

Opposition MPs are not the only local leaders in the area, Rina said in the Dewan Rakyat today, to the chagrin of several Pakatan Harapan lawmakers.

“When we decided to distribute the food hampers during the MCO, we let the Welfare Department in the area decide how to distribute them.

“We had to think of how to distribute quickly, MPs are not the only local leaders around,” Rina said during her winding-up speech for the debate on the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Opposition MPs, such as Hannah Yeoh (Segambut), Kasthurirani Patto (Batu Kawan), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa), had taken Rina to task on how their colleagues were left out of food basket distribution lists for low-income constituents after the MCO came into force on March 18.

Yeoh responded to Rina by saying that MPs were the local leaders “on the ground” and the needy would come to them when they wanted help. 

“But the government appointed coordinators (to distribute the hampers) who were from MCA and Bersatu in Segambut.”

Yeoh said she had asked Rina about the matter on social media but did not receive any replies.

“I also put in a Parliamentary question on who these coordinators were but have not got any replies. As such, I hope the government will include the opposition and not just limit such exercises to government party people,” said Yeoh.

She said it was unfair for Rina to pass the buck to the Welfare Department.

“The local Welfare Department gets its orders from Putrajaya and the minister. So, don’t blame them.”

Rina also said 96% of phone calls to her ministry’s Talian Kasih helpline during the MCO were about the food baskets.

She said this explained why the distribution of food hampers during the MCO went awry.

Overall, the number of calls to Talian Kasih had increased fivefold from an average of 4,000 a month to more than 20,000.

The minister denied that the hotline was halted for two weeks during the MCO.

“It was only on the first day (that it was stopped) as we were coordinating with the National Security Council (NSC) to use one number for all MCO matters.”

Rina was responding to Kasthuri, who asked the ministry to explain why it had stopped the helpline for two weeks at the start of the MCO. – August 4, 2020.