Ismail Sabri: 8.6 million households to receive free face masks

PUTRAJAYA, 26 Mac -- Menteri Kanan (Kluster Keselamatan) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob bercakap pada sidang media di Bangunan Perdana Putra hari ini. --fotoBERNAMA (2020) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA

PUTRAJAYA: Some 8.6 million households will receive face masks which the government has pledged to distribute for free.

Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (pic) said the face masks will be given to the people through state and district disaster management committees.

"We are waiting for the face masks that the government has purchased. It is expected to arrive soon.

"Once the goods are here, we will distribute it in stages," he said.

The government has purchased 10 million face masks from China to meet demand as the number of Covid-19 positive cases rises.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had announced that the masks will be distributed for free to Malaysians.

Ismail Sabri said that the Covid-19 fund has to date received RM8.1mil.

"We will use RM5.6mil to aid those affected by the Covid-19 and the movement control order, especially the poor and the needy," he said.

The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry will distribute foodstuff to the target groups.