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BATU PAHAT – The recent issue over the quality of food at flood relief centres arose because there is a limited supply of perishable products, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
She said the ministry had sought an explanation from the caterers involved, who complained of difficulties in finding fresh supplies and thus, affecting the quality of the supplied food.
“The caterers admitted to the low quality of food because of the shortage of perishable products and the need to travel far to acquire them.
“We have given them a warning but with the flood situation now, it is difficult to find a replacement, so there has to be ‘give and take’ on both sides to help solve the problem,” she told reporters after visiting flood victims at SK Kota Dalam relief centre here today.
Nancy said meals in retort packaging would be distributed to flood victims on their first day at the relief centre but it is up to them if they wish to work together to prepare their own meals.
She added that the ministry has no problem if the flood victims decide to hold a “gotong-royong” to prepare their own meals as the Social Welfare Department would be helping to manage the relief centres.
She said to date, 415 of the department’s staff and 600 volunteers from several states have been deployed to help flood victims at various relief centres.
Yesterday, a video of an MP expressing his disappointment over the quality of food and the timing of its distribution to flood victims in Yong Peng, here, was shared on social media. – Bernama, March 6, 2023