The Battambang Provincial Administration was provided with 200 million riel ($50,000) through the Ministry of Interior to assist residents affected by natural disasters and Covid-19.

“I would like to donate 200 million riel … to help ease the shortages of residents affected by the spread of Covid-19,” interior minister Sar Kheng said in a letter to provincial governor Nguon Ratanak on April 23.

Sar Kheng, who also heads the government working group for the province, also told the provincial governor to manage the budget and work with the government to assist residents who are encountering difficulties.

Ratanak told The Post on April 25 that he had organised for some of the money to be used by the working group to buy zincs, 20 tonnes of milled rice and other food for distribution to more than 200 families affected by rainstorms and lighting strikes and other impoverished families affected by Covid-19.

“At this time, I am leading the police and the humanitarian working group to distribute food and other material.

“The houses of more than 200 impoverished families damaged by rainstorms will be repaired,” he said.

He added that in 2020, Sar Kheng had donated more than 600 tonnes of food including milled rice which was distributed to impoverished families affected by the floods and rainstorms.