KUALA LUMPUR – Putrajaya needs a database for humanitarian groups to effectively channel aid during the lockdown period, said Kembara Kitchen co-founder William Cheah, as the current system is time-consuming.
He said for an organisation to receive authorisation, the application process is tedious and time-consuming, especially if it is required to cross districts.
“If I want to deliver one care pack to an old woman in another district, I have to apply to the National Disaster Command Centre (NDCC) in Shah Alam where we are based.
“Then we must apply to the NDCC in the district where the care package will be sent,” he told The Vibes.
That is not the end of it. He said before care packages are sent, the respective district Social Welfare Departments (SWDs) must be informed three days in advance, but this cannot be done without NDCC authorisation.
“After the three days’ notice, we will be assigned an escort either from the Civil Defence Force or Rela.
“We tried this during the first movement control order (MCO) last year, and it didn’t work because there weren’t enough civil defence escorts to go around.”
Ironically, Cheah said sometimes SWD would request help from Kembara Kitchen when the department has a supply shortage.
“The welfare department would ask us for help, but it cannot help us get approvals.
“For example, the department in Sabak Bernam once requested from us 800 care packs, but I didn’t have the approval to send it there.”
He acknowledged that the strict standard operating procedures with regard to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) delivering aid is to prevent irresponsible quarters from abusing privileges.
However, he recommends that the department create a database of legitimate NGOs, which can later be used to transmit the necessary SOPs to these organisations.
“It’s like a bank – if you want to deposit money the first time, you fill up a form. If you want to do it again, you don't need to go through the same process again.
“Why can’t the department do something similar? It seems during the full lockdown, it is much easier for factories to remain in operation than NGOs.”
Cheah said Kembara Kitchen is a social enterprise focused on providing food and disaster relief aid, which has been around since the 2014 floods in Kelantan.
“We started a catering business to fund our activities.
“In the last 12 months, we have given out nearly 500 tonnes of aid, and even support government agencies if they face a shortage.” – The Vibes, June 9, 2021
