Compensation for families affected by landslide tragedy

BATANG KALI: Each family that has lost a family member in the Batang Kali campsite landslide tragedy will get RM10,000, while families of survivors will receive RM1,000 each, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He announced this after visiting the site of the tragedy last night when he pledged the government would render all forms of appropriate help. “We will expedite the assistance,” he said in a short press conference.

“The funds will be channelled (to victims and heirs of the deceased) through coordination between the Selangor state government and various non-governmental organisations,” he said, adding that it would begin today.

Anwar arrived at ground zero and spent about an hour speaking to officials on site and being briefed on operations here.

When asked whether a special committee would be formed to investigate the tragedy and whether human error could have caused the landslide, Anwar said he would wait for official reports first.

“I do not want to jump the gun. Let’s wait for their reports first,” he told reporters.

Meanwhile, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has joined many other fellow Malaysians in showing solidarity with the victims on social media.

“I hope all the victims are safe,” he wrote on Facebook, where he also attached pictures from Bernama about the ongoing search and rescue yesterday.