Feb 6, 2017
Olivia Miwil
Evacuees say supply of food, necessities was slow
KOTA MARUDU: Villagers here have claimed that the aid was slow to arrive when the district was hit by floods last month. Roads cut off by the floods made it difficult for relief supplies to reach evacuees.
Saimah Hashim, 67, said she faced difficulties when she sought shelter at the Youth and Sports Ministry Hall here on Jan 18 and 19.
She was one of 3,484 people from 972 families who received dry food supplies worth RM140,000 from the Media Prima- NSTP Humanitarian Fund at the community hall here yesterday.
"I had to sleep on the floor without a mattress, and food arrived late on my first night at the hall. I saw on television that other flood victims had tents to sleep in and food was cooked at the relief centres," Saimah said, adding that she was grateful for the help, but hoped things could be improved in future.
District officer Arnol Joibee said they did not receive any report from the 12 relief centres, but admitted that some processes could be improved in the future.
"There was a surge in evacuees during the floods and volunteers were shorthanded to meet their needs, As roads were flooded, food and other aid could only reach the shelters via four-wheel-drive vehicles."
At the aid handover event, Media Prima corporate communications, communications manager jad Mahidin said the funds collected from the public were meant for disaster victims and people with medical conditions.
Jad, a member of the Media Prima-NSTP Volunteer Brigade, extended her gratitude to the district civil defence force personnel and state welfare officers who assisted in distributing the aid.
Present were Assistant Community Development and Consumer Affairs minister and Tandek assemblyman Datuk Anita Baranting and district police chief Superintendent Izaan Abdullah.
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