BALING: Villagers who are badly affected by the flash floods and water surge phenomenon in the district have expressed relief following yesterday’s announcement of immediate aid totalling RM500,000 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Those who were met by Bernama in Kampung Tanjung and Kampung Iboi near here expressed their gratitude for the assistance and asked the government to facilitate the process to obtain the assistance.
Norhazilah Mat Daud, 47 of Kampung Tanjung said the aid could ease her family’s burden who have lost most of their furniture and electrical appliances in addition to the schooling items of her four children in the floods.
Ismail Sabri said the early aid was for the head of every household affected by the floods, comprising compassionate payment (BWI) of RM1,000, necessities aid of RM2,500, electrical appliances aid of RM500, and house repairs.
A villager from Kampung Iboi Norhayati Ismail, 38, told Bernama that her house was badly damaged and could no longer be inhabited, adding that she was grateful for the assistance that she planned to use to buy clothes and food for her family.
“It’s a relief to receive the assistance, but I hope the process to get the aid could be eased as we have lost our ICs (identity cards) in the floods and we have no motorcycles to move around,” she said.
A fellow villager, Norhasimah Ismail, 54, whose house was washed away by the strong currents thanked the government for the assistance, adding that she was also grateful that she and her family were safe despite losing everything.
“…with the aid maybe I can start with two house pillars first, a start for me to get on with life, I will start small,” she said.
The flash floods claimed three lives and affected a total of 12 villages and 627 residents and badly damaged 15 houses that could no longer be inhabited.
According to Kampung Iboi village chief Nor Mohamad Che Hussain, the assistance can help them to buy items that were lost in the floods and repair their homes.
“I believe apart from the assistance that has been distributed and those that have been announced, there will be a lot more assistance from the government from time to time,“ he said when met in Kampung Iboi near here today.
The Kupang subdistrict chief, Badrol Hisham Che Li said the cash aid of RM1,000, as well as other assistance, could help victims to face life after the floods, adding that the assistance could ease their burdens especially ahead of the Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration.
Meanwhile, the Baling Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim praised the immediate action taken by Ismail Sabri in extending early assistance to the victims despite being abroad on official matters.
“He made a decision so quickly and today the people of Baling have received the benefits. Contributions from other agencies have also started to pour in,” he added. — Bernama