KUCHING, July 1 — Giving food aid baskets worth RM300,000 directly to the Members of Parliament could expedite delivery to the needy recipients, said Santubong MP Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He said each parliamentary constituency had its own service centre with data on the number of poor families, besides understanding the needs of the residents there.

“The delivery process will be faster because of lesser bureaucracy, unlike if it has to go through certain parties or ministries.

“The MPs have teams at their respective service centres and surely they are closer to the constituents, while I feel the government has also learned from the delivery of food baskets previously, hence there’s the need to speed up the process,” Wan Junaidi, who is also Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister, said today.

Through the National People’s Well-Being and Economic Recovery Package (Pemulih) announced by the government on June 28, RM300,000 has been allocated to each MP including from the Opposition for food baskets to be given to the affected groups in their respective areas.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in making the announcement said the measure was taken as the government realised the importance of basic essentials for the people and had thus set aside political differences in delivering aid.

A sum of RM10 million has also been allocated for food aid for the Orang Asli. — Bernama