I feel humiliated, says disabled man who lost aid

The disabled man whose farm aid was allegedly cut off on the order of Sarawak's assistant agriculture minister Mong Dagang for supporting the state opposition said the experience has been “stinging and humiliating”.

Despite having hand disabilities, Frusis Lebi (right) works as a farmer but recently found difficulty in obtaining his usual farming subsidies.

When contacted, Frusis, 51, said he was told by the Sri Aman Agriculture Department that there were “problems” in dispensing the fertiliser and pesticides to him.

“They said they received a letter from Mong telling them not to give me the subsidies because I supported the opposition,” he said.

Frusis added that the officers had refused to show him the letter, perhaps out of fear, but a “sympathetic” source eventually showed him the letter on March 1.

The letter accuses him of going against government policies by supporting an opposition candidate and setting up an operations centre for the opposition during the Sarawak state election in April last year.

“As I remember, I did not use my house as an operations centre. I only put up an opposition flag, which was later taken down by the village chief and burnt,” said Frusis who lives in Entualang Entawa, Sri Aman.

Disabilities allowance also discontinued

In October last year, six months after the election, his RM300 disabled persons’ welfare aid was discontinued.

“An officer from the Welfare Department said my income has exceeded the threshold and I no longer qualified for it.

“I only make about RM500 a month from farming, my income is not stable... but they have insisted, and I don't have the strength to argue with them any more,” he said.

Frusis added that he did not give much thought to it then, until the latest incident when his farming subsidy was withheld.

According to the Welfare Department website, an agency under the federal government, the disabled worker’s allowance is given to a person who has an income of less than RM1,200 per month.

However, Frusis said assistance to his 35-year-old son, who suffers from hearing and speech disabilities, has not been affected. His other son, aged 21, works in Johor.

 Police must investigate

Following this, Frusis sought advice and last Friday, with the help of Sri Aman DAP branch chief Leon Jimat Donald, lodged a police report on the matter.

“We do not know whether Mong wrote or just signed the letter, but we want the police to investigate to find out the truth,” said Leon (left) when contacted.

He added that the same letter was also forwarded to the district officer, ordering all assistance to Frusis to cease.

“How can the state government take action against the poor? Frusis supported the opposition because the government encroached into his land, and it is totally ignorant of the people’s plight... it’s absolutely heartless,” he said.

Leon added he would assist Frusis in lodging a complaint with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission over the alleged abuse of power when the latter is able to get time off from his farm.

Mong who is also Bukit Begunan state assemblyperson, has declined to confirm or deny if the letter originated from him.