16.5 tons of bad rice replaced

16.5 tons of bad rice replaced

PADANG, West Sumatra: The head of the West Sumatra chapter of
the National Logistics Agency (Dolog), Muslim Kasim, said on
Saturday that his office would replace the 16.5 metric tons of
rice aid found rotting in several district offices here.

The low-quality rice was provided by the Ministry of Food and
Horticulture.

According to Pauh village chief Suardi M.T., residents badly
needed the rice because of food shortages.

"But several families returned the rice because it was already
rotten," Suardi said.

Darisman, chief of Dolog in Painan, said the low-quality rice
rotted after only a few days of storage. "The district officials
stored it for more than a week. By the time they distributed the
rice, it had spoiled."

Muslim maintained the distribution was actually not within
Dolog's responsibility. "The district officials failed to
distribute the rice on time and stored it in poorly ventilated
rooms." (28/edt)