Sarawak minister still bitter over ‘expired biscuits’ post
Sarawak Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah was upset after a social media user said the Welfare Department had sent her a packet of expired biscuits as part of the flood aid assistance programme. Although Facebook user Thieya Christisya Ingkin issued an apology yesterday, Fatimah said the unfounded allegation smeared the department's reputation. Thieya in the apology on her Facebook wall said she had fabricated the claim “to seek attention”. She also apologised to all the flood relief agencies for causing “difficulties and misunderstanding” over the viral posting. Fatimah, in the Fire and Rescue Department's Kuching zone Whatsapp group, said: "... its bad because what she did smeared our JKM (the Malay acronym for Welfare Department) reputation.” She added that welfare workers were always reminded to be vigilant and check foodstuff meant for distribution to flood victims. “I've always reminded our staff to check for expiry date of food that we provide to our recipients either at Pangkalan hadapan or at flood relief centres,” she said. Fatimah said she had also instructed the Welfare Department to let apology go viral on social media to set the record straight. Thieya, believed to be from Kampung Ma'ang in flood-hit Serian district, posted: “Just received bantuan mangsa banjir (flood relief assistance) but then dapat (received) barang (goods) expired.” She included a photo of a packet of cream crackers that had an expiry date sticker showing the date, 311015 (October 31, 2015). “I need explanation for this. Why they let irresponsible people taking us for granted? “Last year pun sama (Last year was the same),” she said. But in an about-turn Thieya said the claim was not true and the actual expiry date of the cream crackers was March 31 this year. – February 13, 2016.
