'Abang Viva' heads to Terengganu to assist flood victims

KUALA LUMPUR: A volunteer known to go head on and help during disasters, Azwan Omar, better known to many as "Abang Viva", is in Terengganu to help out in the food relief mission there.

Malay language portal Sinar Harian reported that the 30-year-old headed over to participate in flood relief efforts in the east coast in a four-wheel drive on Sunday (Dec 18).

He was quoted as saying that upon arriving in Terengganu, his group of volunteers carried out a mission to rescue residents in the Hulu Terengganu area as movement to other areas was restricted due to many instances of flooding.

"We joined forces with the Fire and Rescue Department to rescue residents in Kuala Berang, Hulu Terengganu, who were affected by the flood," he told Sinar Harian on Monday (Dec 19).

He added that through the Abang V-Va Welfare Movement Organisation, he planned to continue the rescue missions in Kelantan as the situation was becoming worse in the state.

"In addition to rescuing, we also provide assistance to flood victims through donations from the public through our association's account," he said.

Azwan, who hails from Melaka, caught everyone's attention last year when he made his way from Melaka to help flood victims in Selangor with only RM50 in his pocket and a boat strapped to the roof of his car.

In Terengganu, as of 11am on Monday (Dec 19), the flood situation had worsened as the number of victims rose sharply to 11,415 people from 3,326 families, compared to 3,785 people from 1,068 families on Sunday (Dec 18) night.