Govt to donate another RM500,000 to victims
PORT DICKSON: The government yesterday announced an additional RM500,000 financial aid to help earthquake and tsunami victims in Central Sulawesi, bringing the total amount to RM1 million to be channelled to the victims.
On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail announced that RM500,000 would be donated from the National Disaster Fund to victims of a tsunami that had hit Palu and Donggala in Sulawesi on Sept 28.
Wan Azizah said the decision was made during a cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday.
“The Finance Ministry has agreed to channel an additional RM500,000 to the fund.
“Although the fund is supposed to be used in the event of disaster in the country, the cabinet has agreed that a small part of the fund can be channelled to help victims in Sulawesi.
“If any local non-governmental organisations need logistical assistance, we will also help them using allocation from the fund,” she said at the launch of Sulawesi Tsunami Victim Care programme at The Grand Hall in Lukut here yesterday.
Present were the Negri Sembilan menteri besar’s wife, Wan Hasni Wan Yusof, Deputy Tourism, Art and Culture Minister Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, Penang State Assembly Speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang and Global Peace Mission Malaysia chief executive officer Ahmad Fahmi Mohd Samsudin.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also women, family and community development minister, said Malaysia was willing to extend any assistance that was needed by Indonesia based on the relationship between the two countries.
“I understand that the death toll so far had reached 1,407 and the number is likely to continue to rise, with more victims expected to be found.
“The United Nations reported that nearly 200,000 people are affected and tens of thousands of the victims are children,” she said.