Benedick (centre, in maroon shirt) receiving the mock cheques of donations for flood victims and schools.
KOTA KINABALU: Some 250 families affected by a major flood in Penampang near here in June received cash assistance from the Yayasan Bank Rakyat (YBR) on Thursday (Aug 1).
YBR allocated a total of RM100,000 for the cause, with each of the families receiving RM200.
The remaining RM50,000 will go to five schools also devastated in the incident, with each school to receive RM10,000.
Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick officiated at the aid handover ceremony for the flood victims and affected schools at the Dewan Huguan Siou Tuavon in Penampang.
Also present were YBR chairman Datuk Philip Benedict Lasimbang, YBR general manager Syaiful Rizal Abdul Ghani and Penampang Municipal Council president Francis Chong, among others.
Benedick praised the assistance as a noble effort, hoping the assistance will provide some relief to those affected, besides easing their financial burden as well as helping schools continue their sessions as they start the second term.
"This special aid is provided to each family and school identified as affected by the flood through the Penampang MP service centre to facilitate the distribution process.
"Thank you to YBR for reaching out to those affected, and it is hoped that the allocated funds can be used as post-flood assistance to continue daily life as usual," said the Penampang MP.
Lasimbang said he hoped the aid will help the heads of households who were left struggling following the floods.
YBR will also work on providing more aid to lighten the burden of those affected, he added.
"Our organisation is very concerned and attentive to the financial burden experienced, especially among the B40 income group due to this disaster.
“We hope this initiative can help them with their daily basic needs and allow schools to repair equipment damaged by the flood," he said.
Other agencies present to provide assistance included Bank Rakyat, SME Bank, CO-OP Bank Pertama, Tekun Nasional, Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (Pernas), Angkasa, and the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (MCC).
In 2024, YBR has allocated RM600,000 for contributions to help the less fortunate, aiming to improve the socio-economic welfare of recipients through educational development, community empowerment, and healthcare assistance.
