KUALA LUMPUR – Village Chief and neighbours play important part in ensuring no one suffers a break in food supplies during the movement control of National Recovery Plan (PPN).
Referring to the white flag campaign, the Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said that it would indirectly give a negative perception to the neighbours who are seen as uncaring towards one another.
“Neighbours need to move around. If we raise the white flag, it’s as if, the neighbours are not concerned about them. It is embarrassing as the neighbours are supposed to help.
“Why would a person raise the white flag? Their neighbours know nothing about their problem? It could raise a bad image on the neighbours.
“The neighbours need to help immediately,” he said when met during the launch of Kongsi Rezeki Charity Programme by the Malaysia Rubber Council (MRC) and Yayasan Amal Malaysia at Legasi Sabasun HyperRuncit in Kampung Baru today.
He said, the neighbours and community leaders including village chief who knows about the hardship and needs of a family can use government agencies, especially the Department of Social Welfare (JKM) to help those in need.
He did not reject the white flag campaign although it gives a negative image to the government.
“We see the pros and cons. If we raise the white flag when we are in need, positively, people will know and they can help us. On the other hand, it is as if the government is not helping the community.
“In my area, we have been running aids all these while and the requests increase during the MCO. It is important for all community leaders in all levels in the village, including the village leaders to move around and help the people with hotline number. The government provides many hotlines. That is how the government works.
“To me, I would prefer for us to help the people through the hotline and we can send things without them having to raise the white flag,” he said.
Yesterday, the Kuala Nerus MP requested the people in his area not to raise the white flag in asking for help.
On the contrary, he asked them to contact the representatives in the State Assembly to report about their hardship.
The Menteri Besar of Kedah, Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor was reported saying that the state government would not recognise the usage of white flags as a sign that they need food aid during the MCO.
On the contrary, he said that he would only hand out food aid to individuals who lodge an official complaint through phone calls to the Disaster Management Operation Centres throughout the districts in that state. –MalaysiaGazette
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