Sabah CM raps officers for slow delivery of food aid, sets senior state official as watchdog

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 3 ― Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor today reprimanded government officers stationed in all districts who have been slow or failed to distribute food aid to state residents affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said he has now directed State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong to closely monitor the distribution to ensure the government’s food basket reached all recipients as intended and on time.

“I will get regular updates to ensure that this is done,” he said at the special State Security Committee meeting here today.

The meeting was attended by 5th Infantry Division Commander, Major General Datuk Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, Eastern Fleet Commander Syed Zahrul Putra Syed Abdullah, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali, ESSCom Commander Datuk Ahmad Fuad Othman and Sabah Special Branch Chief Mohd Salleh Yahya.  

Also in attendance were Local Government and Housing minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, Untong, Sabah Federal Secretary Datuk Samsuni Mohd Nor, and Sabah Health Director Datuk Christina Rundi.

Hajiji said he was satisfied with security agencies’ vigilance at the state’s borders but reminded them that this must still be improved via the Task Force Ops Benteng to prevent unauthorised entry into the state.

On the current Covid-19 movement control orders in Sabah, Hajiji said that he was looking into ways of easing the lockdown to allow struggling businesses to resume.

He said to date, 22 localities throughout the state has been placed under the enhanced movement control order.

He assured business owners that the state government was aware of their plight and looking for ways to facilitate their operations.

“We will look at the situation with the view to ease the movement control order, so businesses can open up again,” he said.

The entire state is under a conditional movement control order that prohibits interstate district travel after the state became a hotbed of Covid-19 infections after the Sabah election in September.

The state has thus far recorded the highest number of cases in the country on a daily basis. As of yesterday, there were 16,195 identified Covid-19 cases in the state, of which 3,155 are still active. 698 are being treated at hospitals which 2,457 are held at quarantine and treatment centres.