Dewan Rakyat news in brief : Aug 1

MOTAC, CABINET REVIEW VOA FOR TOURISTS

KUALA LUMPUR -- The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and the Cabinet will review the implementation of the visa on arrival (VOA) facility to prevent its misuse by foreign tourists, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Santhara Kumar said MOTAC had been supporting the facility, but problems arose when foreign tourists who use the VOA, do not return to their country of origin after entering the country.

"For example, after the facility was used by tourists from India, we found foreigners scattered in Brickfields and some were carrying out business activities. We don't want this to happen again," he said in response to a supplementary question from Datuk Mohammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau) who asked on the VOA for foreigners during question and answer session.

-- BERNAMA 

COOPERATIVES REAR 2.5 MILLION CHICKENS IN ADDRESSING FOOD SECURITY

KUALA LUMPUR  -- A total of 2.5 million chickens are being reared by 21 agro-food based cooperatives through their involvement in a chicken farming contract scheme, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Deputy Minister Datuk Muslimin Yahaya said the scheme was implemented in collaboration with an integrator company whose role was to supply chicks, bran, supplementary feed, medicine and conduct periodic checks on chicken growth.

"A total of 184 cooperatives are directly involved in agro-food related activities, contributing to food security and generating a total revenue of RM274,687,368.

"Agro-food cooperatives offer agricultural and farming products such as broiler chicken, village chicken, beef and farmed fish at reasonable prices through Coopmart chain stores, grocery stores, farmers' markets and supermarkets," he said.

He was replying to a question raised by Datuk Mohd Hatta Md Ramli (PH-Lumut) on the role of agriculture-based cooperatives  in helping to address food security issues.

-- BERNAMA

OVER 500,000 RECEIVE JKM ASSISTANCE IN FIRST HALF OF 2022 

KUALA LUMPUR -- A total of 523,354 Social Welfare Department’s (JKM) beneficiaries have received welfare assistance totaling RM1.241 billion for the period January to June this year.

Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) Datuk Seri Siti Zailah Yusoff said the highest amount totaling RM157.4 million was channelled to Sabah, followed by Johor (RM132.4 million) and Sarawak (RM125.1 million).

"We hope the assistance will be able to ease the burden of the groups in need and this shows the government’s concern to see that Malaysians are protected," she told a press conference at the Parliament Building here today.

KPWKM has assigned RM1.772 billion or 71 per cent of the RM2.5 billion operating expenditure allocation, to welfare assistance involving 517,414 JKM beneficiaries.

-- BERNAMA