I would like to express my concern regarding the announcement by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob that NGOs delivering food directly to communities are no longer allowed to do so, as part of minimizing exposure and restricting movement. Instead, NGOs have been ordered to channel their food deliveries to coordinating centres managed by Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM). The distribution of food will then be done by RELA and ATM.
Although we understand the need to restrict movement under the Movement Control Order to flatten the curve and reduce the rate and risk of Covid-19 infections, I fear this instruction is highly inefficient and will harm the many vulnerable communities whose access to food has been severely compromised. These include senior citizens with limited mobility, people with disabilities (OKUs), B40 families, the homeless, and refugee communities among others.
I am also concerned that the Federal Government may not have a complete list of vulnerable communities that need urgent assistance and be able to rechannel that assistance instantly. The fact is, that certain communities remain underserved shows that they have existed long outside the Government’s radar.
I believe that our NGOs have no intention to supercede government action; rather, most would seek to complement government policy. The Federal Government should appreciate and leverage NGOs’ tireless work in reaching and cultivating trust and relationships with marginalised communities even before Covid-19 landed on our shores. In these urgent times, the Government should decentralise as much as possible, to ensure that things get done NOW. Decentralised movement ensures that food and other essentials are delivered to those who need it soonest without going through the various stages of the supply chain. This is especially true of cooked food of which inevitably will result in wastage, rotting, contamination, etc.
I call on the Federal Government to rescind this instruction and to instead empower NGOs to continue distributing food, aid and other welfare in a way that is safe and responsible, in accordance with the health and safety guidelines of the Ministry of Health.