76 STORM-AFFECTED FAMILIES IN SEKIJANG RECEIVE RM76,000 IN BWI AID

SEGAMAT, Feb 8 (Bernama) -- A total of 76 families in the Sekijang parliamentary constituency, affected by the storm in November last year, received RM76,000 in Bantuan Wang Ihsan (BWI) today.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said each family received RM1,000 to help ease their burden.

The Sekijang Member of Parliament (MP) said the MADANI government was committed not only to expediting assistance for disaster victims but also to strengthening the early warning system, mitigation efforts, and preparedness to face the increasing occurrence of extreme weather.

“I went down to the ground immediately after the storm to assess the situation and listen to their concerns.

“I also immediately discussed with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is responsible for disaster management, to ensure that this assistance could be channelled as soon as possible,” she said at the aid handover ceremony at the community hall of the Segamat district office.

Dr Zaliha also said that the BWI guidelines by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) had been updated to expand the scope of aid recipients following discussions with Ahmad Zahid in November last year.

“Previously, the assistance was only given to flood victims, but it now includes those affected by storms and flash floods. This is a proactive measure by the government to ensure aid reaches more people in need.

“We also hope this initiative will ease the burden on recipients and reassure the people that the government is concerned about their welfare,” she said.

Dr Zaliha also urged the public to be more vigilant of weather warnings as storms and natural disasters were becoming increasingly frequent due to climate change.

“The MADANI government will continue to strengthen the disaster management system to ensure that every victim receives prompt and fair assistance,” she said.

-- BERNAMA