RM1.35 mln disbursed to Sarawak disaster victims this year

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Sept 25: The Sarawak government has spent RM1.35 million in assistance for disaster victims across the State this year, covering those affected by storms, fires, landslides, floods and drought.

Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said the assistance was provided based on the type of disaster and the specific needs of victims.

“As far as possible, whenever a disaster occurs, we provide immediate assistance such as food. We then collect the victims’ profiles, including the number of family members, heads of households and their ages.

“Based on this information, we assess the assistance required by each victim,” she said in her speech text during the symbolic handover of disaster assistance to 20 representatives of storm victims in Kuching at Wisma Kebajikan here today.

Fatimah said storms accounted for 104 cases involving 119 heads of households (KIR) and 378 victims, with RM205,700 in assistance provided.

Fires recorded 92 cases involving 95 KIRs and 422 victims, with RM636,300 spent, making it the largest allocation among the five types of disasters.

Landslides accounted for 12 cases involving 12 KIRs and 59 victims, with RM36,300 in assistance, while floods recorded 14 cases involving 446 KIRs and 1,714 victims, involving RM331,710 in aid.

Meanwhile, 36 drought cases were recorded, involving 1,402 KIRs and 5,149 victims, with RM143,173.40 in assistance distributed.

Fatimah said the aid included immediate assistance, dry food, school and daily clothing, bedding, small business assistance and building materials.

“The type of assistance provided depends on the nature of the disaster and the needs of the victims,” she said.

Also present were Sarawak Social Welfare Department (JKM) director Semawi Mohamad, Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng, Kuching Divisional Social Welfare officer Pengiran Mohamad Najib Pengiran Mohamad, and Sarawak Social Development Council executive secretary Riziandy Nawawi. — DayakDaily

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