MELAKA, July 4 — Food Basket Assistance for people affected by Covid-19 under the National People’s Well-being and Economic Recovery Package (Pemulih) has started to be distributed in stages in every parliamentary constituency in Melaka.

Jasin MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah said a total of 4,400 food baskets worth more than RM80 each had been distributed to the affected people in his parliamentary constituency, starting earlier this week.

Ahmad, who is also the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries I, said the food baskets, containing essential items such as rice, oil, flour and sugar, were distributed to recipients through the administration of the Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) and mosque committee in the state constituencies under Jasin parliamentary, in addition to non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

"Actually, we at the Jasin parliamentary level have been ready from the beginning to implement this Food Assistance programme, as soon as Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced it.

"I would like to thank the Prime Minister for channelling the allocation for this Food Basket Assistance programme, and hopefully it will ease the burden of the people to some extent,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Recently, Muhyiddin announced that the government would allocate RM300,000 to each MP, including the opposition, to implement the Food Basket Assistance programme under the National Recovery Plan (PPN) to the affected groups in their respective constituencies.

Meanwhile, Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong said that the Food Basket Assistance for his constituents would be distributed in the near future after an open tender process to appoint suppliers of basic necessities for the assistance was completed.

He said applicants would have to fill in the form provided by the parliamentary office and those who were eligible would be contacted to receive the assistance.

"An open tender was done to help the suppliers who were also affected by Covid-19 and it is expected to be completed soon to ensure that this assistance reaches those who are truly deserving,” he said.

He said while waiting for the process to be completed, the affected people continued to be assisted through the food bank initiative established at the Kota Melaka Parliamentary Service Centre. — Bernama