KUCHING, June 5 — Chief minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg has agreed to provide additional RM15 million to food aid under the Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS 6.0) taking the total allocation to RM35.5 million, said deputy chief minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

In a statement yesterday, he explained that under the BKSS 6.0 an initial RM20.5 million was allocated for food aid while RM5 million was allocated for transportation costs.

He informed that however the chief minister had agreed to provide the additional amount.

"This is due to the increase in the number of recipients,” he said.

Awang Tengah, who is the state Food Supply Chain Sub-Committee chairman, said that after chairing a meeting with the committee virtually yesterday, it was decided that the food aid fund will be channelled through Divisional Disaster Management Committees (DDMC).

"The recipients of this food aid will be mainly from the B40 group. The DDMC will compile the recipients of this food aid.

"They will work together with Pusat Khidmat, community leaders, together with relevant government agencies, police, community leaders, local councils, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and others,” he said.

Awang Tengah said that the process of the distribution will comply strictly with the current Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

"Food items will be decided by DDMC according to the allocation given to each constituency. The DDMC will also handle the procurement of the food items,” he added. — Borneo Post Online