PETALING JAYA: While the government is doing the right thing in helping lower-income households in the federal territories by giving out free rice, its efforts must be in tandem with non-government organisations (NGO) and civil society groups.
This is to ensure that there is no duplication in the supply of food aid to the recipients, NGOs pointed out.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday announced the Federal Territories Ministry will give out 5,000 sacks of rice a week to low-income households in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya beginning this week.
Pertiwi Soup Kitchen founder Datuk Munirah Abdul Hamid said the initiative is good, but pointed out that the government must ensure there is no duplication with what other NGOs are doing.
âIf you give too much, sometimes itâs sold by those who receive it and it does not achieve the objective. For instance, blind families who are not living with a family member with sight will not want raw rice as it is too risky for them to cook,â she told theSun.
Munirah said it is crucial to understand who the beneficiaries are for big initiatives like this.
âInternally, these government agencies must have an alert system to know what others are doing. For instance, we collaborate with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall and housing sectors when we hand out food to the needy and homeless.
âBut there are still collaborations which are done in silo. We need to work together, as there is limited resources and we are in this for the long haul,â she added.
Munirah said established soup kitchens such as Pertiwi and Kechara have comprehensive database of regular recipients, and so each item received by the less fortunate is ticked off when handouts are given.
She said if these measure is not undertaken, the less fortunate tend to abuse the donations.
âSome of them will actually get an e-hailing ride to take them to the venue of these handouts. Some organisations or individuals also purposely do it to receive publicity, and so these people are given excess in handouts. This is why the government needs to be savvy in its distribution,â she added.
Pertiwi Soup Kitchen is already assisting the less fortunate in other essential expenses such as room and housing rentals.
All Womenâs Action Society programme and operations manager Nisha Sabanayagam questioned the need for such provision among the urban poor on a weekly basis.
âOn what basis was this intervention decided upon? Most importantly, why only the urban poor of the federal territories and not the rest of the country? A proper needs assessment will ensure, among other things, that there is no duplication of aid, as there are many other organisations on the ground that are supporting the urban poor,â she told theSun.
Like Munirah, Nisha said there must be a proper data and assessment of recipients to ensure that those who truly need the rice supplies get it.
She said the effects of the second movement control order is not expected to go away overnight, and its high time the government come together with the civil societies to plan for long-term intervention of food aid that is effective, efficient and helps the highest number of beneficiaries with limited resources.
