Deputy minister: Social Welfare Dept spent RM35m on aid for flood victims, mobilised 3,000 staff for relief efforts

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — The Social Welfare Department (JKM) has spent RM35 million to provide aid to flood victims in eight affected states.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff said the aid included comforters, mats, blankets, towels, sarong, hygiene kits and other basic necessities.

“More than 31,921 collapsible tents (C-tent) have been used at flood relief centres. JKM also provides cooked food at each relief centre according to the number of victims, including its staff,” she said in a statement here today.

So far, she said a total of 114,280 people from 31,921 families had been accommodated by JKM at 771 flood relief centres nationwide.

Siti Zailah said the agency had also mobilised more than 3,000 JKM officers to ensure the welfare of flood victims at relief centres. 

“A total of 135 JKM officers on duty were also affected by the floods,” she said.

Siti Zailah said JKM with the strategic cooperation of Khidmat Malaysia and the National Youth Council had sent more than 10,000 volunteers to the affected states.

The department has also set up and coordinated dapur rakyat (people’s kitchen) in each flood-hit location which has benefited more than 16,000 flood victims, she said.

She added that JKM also helped organise the movement of volunteers in post-flood work such as cleaning houses, suraus, mosques and others. — Bernama