By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 17: The victims of a fire which razed several homes in Kampung Segubang, Batu Kawa who were temporarily placed at Min Lit Secondary School hall will move to their new homes at HDC Flat in Batu Gong tomorrow.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said this was accomplished thanks to the cooperation of the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP).
She disclosed this to reporters during her visit to present aid worth RM50,900 to the fire victims at the evacuation centre today.
The tragedy, which occurred at 7.26pm on Aug 7, had rendered the 79 people from 20 families homeless.
“Following that, aid consisting of packed food has been channeled by the Social Welfare Department (JKM) daily since Aug 8.
“Mattresses, pillows and blankets were also donated by the Kuching and Padawan Junior Chamber International (JCI).
“Other assistance channeled in the form of cash were pocket money worth RM7,900, kitchen equipment (RM14,000), bedding (RM6,300), daily clothes (RM15,800), and schooling assistance (RM2,300),” she said.
She also mentioned that since the beginning of the year, the same group of victims were also hit by floods.
Fatimah added that the Sarawak government has approved a scheme to assist fire victims in terms of the construction of new houses. This scheme would be managed by the District Office and the Land and Survey Department.
As of July this year, the JKM has spent up to RM56,373,355.58 to assist 837,445 victims from 279,466 families hit by disasters in 818 different cases.
“Floods led the highest number of disasters in the State so far with 406 cases, followed by droughts (278), fire (76), storms (46), and landslides (12),” she emphasised. — DayakDaily
