KOTA KINABALU: The state Community Development and People's Wellbeing Ministry is actively playing its role to help distribute food baskets to individuals and families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Its minister Shahelmy Yahya said his Ministry's welfare services department is part of the state Covid-19 Disaster Management Committee tasked with assisting in the distribution.
To date, the state government has channelled 12,313 food aid to targeted groups across the state.
"Apart from that, 6,300 food baskets from the federal National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) have also been distributed and this will be increased appropriately.
"The welfare services department will continue to monitor the distribution. Since the conditional movement control order (CMCO) is imposed on all districts, distribution of food baskets will now be carried out in all locations.
"We will prioritise families that are under quarantine first," he said, while noting the Ministry is also aware of many elected representatives taking initiatives to deliver food assistance to affected groups in their respective constituencies.
On the Ministry's plans in overseeing wellbeing strategies to ensure the people remained happy, comfortable, and healthy despite facing Covid-19 challenges, Shahelmy said they have many planned programmes for the people.
However, he noted the Ministry's main focus is food basket distribution and to comply with the CMCO standard operating procedure to flatten the curve of positive Covid-19 infections.
"The government is aware that many people are worried about their work and source of income which may be affected by this pandemic. Thus, the government would extend the necessary aid to the affected ones as per the set criteria.
For now, Shahelmy said the responsibility is on all to break the Covid-19 infection chain by complying with the SOPs and staying at home as much as possible.