YOURSAY | Even at these perilous times, the poor are shortchanged

YOURSAY | ‘Taking basic needs from the poor at a time like this won’t make you any richer.’

Each pack of food aid given to Rasah costs only RM35, MP claims

RengitBP: This is really heartbreaking and unfair. It would be really good if the government is transparent on where the items that should be in the food basket? If people get less, they could then raise the issue.

Taking basic needs from the poor at a time like this won’t make you any richer. The universe has a way to balance it out. If it is not you, it will be your descendants.

AlicesCat: Yes, this is heartbreaking to read. The poor and the marginalised are victims of the politics of revenge.

What has happened to our government and their representatives? Where is compassion and empathy for our fellow Malaysians who are in need?

GooseNBanter: The government should set a standard for food packs to be sent to the rakyat as aid across the nation. This will ensure consistency of the provision received by the rakyat, transparency of the supplier and distributor, and justification of costs.

Even better, if retail giants like Tesco, Mydin, et cetera, are engaged to provide the best value for the RM100 or whatever the allocated budget. Collection and distribution may be organised by respective MPs and their representatives.

Thus, we eliminate government officials being involved in making purchases directly with suppliers. Hence, parties held responsible are limited to a few, and they can be closely monitored.

Mazilamani: This is definitely not the season to play politics at the expense of people going hungry.

We are not a third world country. And why the disparity between government and opposition-held constituencies?

People are closely watching every activity of the government and the experience will decide which party is going to earn votes.

The people in need for basic food ration come from the lower-income group, and they need the government's support now more than before. Think about the elderly and children. I don't think we want to see anyone deprived of food or going hungry.

Finally, why can't the food items be sourced directly from established supermarkets to ensure everyone gets the same value of foodstuff?

Vijay47: With ministers believing themselves beyond the restrictions of movement control order (MCO), daughters of political leaders snarling arrogantly at those who would question them, and police officers discovering that the virus attack is a god-sent opportunity to rape, we see the contemptible side of Malaysians during a time of crisis. Almost to compensate for the countless others who slog day and night at personal risk to themselves to keep the country safe.

Using just Rasah as an example, the alleged swindle would be more than the already obscene amount siphoned off, which seems a simple RM100–RM35, that is, RM65 per packet.

It must be remembered that the contents of the aid packages running into the thousands would have been purchased in bulk with discounts given by the supplier. Thus, an aid-bag with a price tag of RM35 may actually cost about only RM30.

And we thus encounter the new norm – from RM100 for the poor, pocket RM70. This does not even include other features of ingenuity like items past their use-by dates and 5kg mysteriously becoming 3kg.

The first official reaction to the accusations would be that these opposition MPs have a secret agenda and are bent on presenting the government in a bad light when it is dedicated and sincere in its efforts.

It is almost certain that there would be no follow-up action, no investigation, no nothing. That is because if we dig deep enough, we will find that those responsible for a scam of this magnitude would be much higher in the pecking order.

That loud noise you just heard was PAS, Umno, and Bersatu leaders keeping their silence.

RM35 food packs from NGOs, not Social Welfare Dept – minister

The Wakandan: Clever excuse - saying the packs from NGOs.

Please provide proof, together with the original date the food was packed; otherwise, you were just being caught red-handed short-changing the poor.

GooseNBanter: Shot in the foot yet, again. If the packs are from NGOs, then where are the RM100 packs for the rakyat placed under enhanced MCO?

People are starving without access to purchase necessities. You are responsible for putting food on their tables. Where did the RM100,000 go?

Headhunter: Indeed, does it mean that the Social Welfare Department still hasn't delivered its own RM100 food packs? Where are they then and when are they going to be delivered?

The Ant: The silat and taichi masters are back. Misquoted, misunderstood and mistreated. It wasn't us, must have been them.

Our biggest wish is that nobody dies of hunger due to neglect and greed of some. Nobody will be left behind because the main entrance is now at the back.

Minister responsible for undistributed food aid, not overworked welfare officers: Yeoh

Harimau_Arif: It truly heart-breaking to see how the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government still chose to politicise even the distribution of basic necessities.

This should be the time for any government to rise to the occasion, set aside racial and political differences, to deal with the pandemic and help its people.

Rather, we continue to see preferences given to only PN constituents and using this as an opportunity to punish the opposition areas.

Corruption is deeply engrained in the values and beliefs of these politicians, but I wonder if there is still an ounce of humanity left in them.

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