Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob speaks to the press in Kuala Lumpur March 23, 2020. — Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 — The food aid packs that some have priced at RM35 on social media are not the same ones worth RM100 the Welfare Department is distributing to those in need, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob clarified today.

The senior minister said Women and Family Development Minister Rina Harun informed him that the Welfare Department also receives contributions from non-governmental organisations (NGOS), which it also distributed to the needy.

“This issue was only reported by certain individuals. They said that the food packs which were supposed to be worth RM100 were only worth RM35 upon checking.

“This morning, the Women and Family Development Minister Rina Harun has informed the Cabinet meeting that the centres which gather food packs by the Welfare Department also receive delivery from NGOs,” he said in a press conference this afternoon.

“We did not impose any fixed cost for their contributions. They can give contributions (food packs) at any amount from RM30 to RM100 or even RM200 depending on the NGO’s capabilities.

“Therefore, the food packs the individuals received are not from the Welfare Department,” he added.

Ismail Sabri said this when asked to comment on reports about Opposition MPs alleging their constituencies did not receive the number of food packs allocated and those received did not match the value of the assistance as officially announced.

Sin Chew Daily reported that Rasah MP Cha Kee Chin as saying he helped apply for food aid for the B40 groups in his constituency who were entitled to the Ministry of Women and Family Development’s food aid scheme.

Despite applying for 950 food packs, Cha alleged he only received 150 even though his constituency was entitled for 1,000 food packs in an updated list.

He also alleged that the total retail price of all the items in each of the food packs is only RM35 and not RM100.