Floods: Numbers at relief centres don’t reflect true picture in Penampang, says MP

KOTA KINABALU: The number of victims who sought shelter at temporary flood relief centres in Penampang does not reflect the actual figure affected by the disaster, says Datuk Ewon Benedick.

The Penampang MP said many victims were trapped in their houses in the June 30 floods and could not be evacuated.

“I informed Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi that the headcount at relief centres does not represent the actual number of families affected.

“Therefore, I have suggested a review of the list of victims.

“Penampang district officer Francis Chong, as chairman of the disaster management committee, has prepared a specific form for flood victims to register,” he said in Penampang on Sunday (July 7).

Villagers affected by the floods need to fill up the form and have it verified by the village security and development committee (JKKK), or their village head, or the urban development committee (JKDB) before submitting it to the district disaster management committee.

“The district committee will then inform the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) of the number affected by the recent flood,” said Benedick, who is federal Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister.

According to a Penampang district office report on Friday (July 5), a total of 2,300 families were affected by the flood which hit at least 16 villages in the district.

“I believe the disaster management committee is still verifying with all the JKKK in the affected villages to see what kind of assistance is needed,” Benedick added.

He said his officers at the Penampang parliamentary service centre had been giving out various forms of aid for the past week.

“Besides food, we also provide other essential items such as mattresses, pillows, gas cylinders, and other necessities required by the villagers.

“This includes expenses for the JKKK, associations, political parties, or non-governmental organisations to organise gotong-royong programmes for house cleaning.

“We have also provided some contributions from the MP’s allocation to schools affected by the floods and several others, including places of worship.

“I am also looking into assistance for severely affected students who have lost their school uniforms, shoes, and other necessities,” he said.

Meanwhile, affected flood victims from the outskirts here such as Inanam and Menggatal were puzzled that they were required to register at the Penampang Cultural Centre to get government aid.

Kota Kinabalu and Penampang are different districts.