SDNU Sibu makes urgent call for food aid as MCO takes toll on B40 Dayak community

Chambai (standing) watches as staff at a food basket distribution centre in Sibu go through a list of applicants for the assistance.

SIBU (Feb 3): Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) Sibu is concerned that many in the bottom 40 percentile (B40) group of the Dayak community here could go hungry with 11 more days of the Covid-19 Movement Control Order (MCO) to go in Sibu.

Its Sibu president Chambai Lindong hoped that food aid would be delivered soon to the affected people, adding that many of them had also lost their jobs due to the MCO restrictions on non-essential activities.

“They worked in many sectors in Sìbu including as general labourers, lorry drivers, shop assistants, and as cooks and helpers at coffee shops, restaurants and bistros. Most of them stay in old rented houses near the town or at upper floors of shophouses in town.

“We believe their situation is genuine. There are 11 more days of MCO to go in Sìbu. Unless they receive food aid earlier, their situation will get worse. Their savings, if any, will dry up. And if that is so, many people will become hungry,” he said in a statement.

Chambai said SDNU Sìbu had been tasked by the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) Sìbu Division to help submit names of heads of families of those who came to Sìbu from various longhouses in the rural areas.

He said since Jan 26, they have been receiving their requests for food aid via Whatsapp.

To date, he said SDNU Sibu have submitted more than 1,000 names to the committee through the Sìbu District Office to coordinate the distribution of food baskets.

“The stories are similar and sad. They have lost their jobs. They will not have any or enough money to buy food for their families in the days to come.

“They need food, and they need food urgently. In some cases, their mood of desperation can be detected quite easily,” he said.

Chambai also expressed concern for rural folks at Sìbujaya who are in a similar situation, and many of them do not know what to do and where to go for help.

“The situation faced by our rural folks in Sìbu town is indeed worrying. Many of them want to go back to their respective longhouses but under MCO, they are not allowed to do so.

“Their hope now lies with SDMC Sibu Division. The earlier the food aid given to them, the better,” he said.

The post SDNU Sibu makes urgent call for food aid as MCO takes toll on B40 Dayak community appeared first on Borneo Post Online.

from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3tjMKJn
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