Govt distributes over RM22m in aid to disaster victims in S’wak since 2015

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM22,056,000 in compassionate aid via the National Disaster Relief Trust Fund ( KWABBN) has been distributed to natural disaster victims in Sarawak since 2015, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim said RM14,618,500 was distributed in 2015; RM5,447,000 in 2016 and RM1,990,500 in 2017.

He said the aid was given to those who were evacuated to relief centres registered by the Social Welfare Department.

“The government will arrange the distribution of the compassionate aid upon receiving the list of victims who have been verified and fi nalised by the state Disaster Management Committee and the respective districts,” he said. He was replying to a question from Oscar Ling Chai Yew ( DAP- Sibu) on government allocation for f lood victims in Sarawak.

Meanwhile, Shahidan said the National Disaster Management Agency ( Nadma) had provided basic essent ial items last December to prepare for the floods in Sarawak.

“A total of 2,000 blankets, 2,000 pillows and 2,000 units of tents were handed over to the Civil Defence Force as the secretariat of the state f lood management committee to be distributed when needed,” he said.

He said Nadma also provided logistics including four 4WD vehicles, aluminium boats (10) and rubber inflatable boats (10).

“Sarawak has previously received three Sealeg boats and nine five-tonne lorries,” he added.