No action will be taken against those who raise white flag, help will be rendered instead, says Ipoh mayor

Ipoh Mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin. - RONNIE CHIN/The Star

IPOH: The Ipoh City Council will give help to those who hoist the white flag, says Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin.

Rumaizi said if the council comes across cases of people requiring assistance, help would be rendered.

“So far through our councillors, and other individuals, we have information that over 15 families require help that we are looking into.

“This is the current information so far I have received directly, and I am sure there are other cases as well.

“Under our ‘MBI Prihatin” programme, the council has been working with private companies to ensure food items are provided to needy groups,” he said after handing out food baskets to 125 ‘Gerbang Malam’ traders whose businesses were forced to close for over a month on Tuesday (July 6).

The #benderaputih (White Flag) movement aims to help those in dire need of food and essentials.

The movement suggests that those who need assistance fly a white flag or cloth outside their homes, which would let those who are able to help know which households could be facing extreme difficulties.

Rumaizi said there was also a new category for the urban poor currently known as “miskin bandar mengejut” who lost their jobs and income due to the pandemic.

He said these groups of people used to earn between RM4,000 and RM5,000 monthly, but they either lost their jobs or were retrenched.

He said the council was focusing on how to help them, as they have house, car and other loans to pay monthly.

“The number of people in this category requiring help is on the increase where they are no longer in the B40 but B60 category.

“As for the poor and hardcore poor, assistance in the form of food is ongoing. We are also looking at cases of people who are unable to pay their house rentals, as well as how to help children who require electronic gadgets for online studies,” he added.

On Perak moving to Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan, Rumaizi said the council would still continue their checks, and monitoring activities to ensure everyone followed the standard operating procedure required.

He said under this phase, only more economic sectors were allowed to open, but the SOPs remained the same.

“However I must applaud Ipohites, because from the start of the first movement control order until now, the compliance rate is high.

“Credit must be given to the people, as the majority of them follow all the rules and regulations, despite a small number of people defying orders,” he added.