Deputy Finance Minister senator Dr Awang Adek Hussein has been appointed chairperson of the Disbursement Committee for the RM20 million Kelantan Compassionate Fund.

International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed said Awang Adek, who is also deputy chief of the Kelantan Umno liaison body, had been appointed to manage the compassionate fund in his capacity as the deputy finance minister.

Mustapa, who is also Kelantan Umno chief, said the meeting of the Compassionate Fund Disbursement Committee would be held in March to discuss the methods of disbursing the fund.

"The federal government has agreed on the appointment of Dr Awang Adek ( left ) to head the committee.

"The RM20 million compassionate fund will be disbursed to the people of Kelantan in April," he said in his speech at the function to give away the Maulidur Rasul (Prophet Muhammad's birthday celebration) contribution in Kota Bharu today.

Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday said the federal government would proceed with the payment of the compassionate fund to Kelantan because he was convinced that there were Kelantanese who wanted to receive the payment and would ensure that the aid would be given in a transparent manner to those eligible.

RM20 mil fund

The prime minister said the federal government would maintain its stand on the payment of the compassionate fund instead of the oil royalty as demanded by the PAS-led Kelantan government.

Mustapa said the federal government had also agreed to appoint Kelantan state secretary and several senior state government officials into the committee to monitor that the compassionate fund was disbursed directly to the people.

Meanwhile, Awang Adek accepted the appointment as a trust to look after the welfare of the people of Kelantan.

He said he was touched by the trust placed on him and considered the appointment as an honour in ensuring that the RM20 million fund was disbursed in a transparent manner to the people of Kelantan directly.

"We will call up all the committee members in the very near future to distribute their responsibilities. We want the people to get their rights so that they will not make any more noise after this," he said.

- Bernama