IPOH: The Social Welfare Department (JKM) will provide continuous counselling to families of the FRU personnel who perished or were injured in the road accident in Teluk Intan last week, says Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad.
The Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister said JKM officers have informed her that they had reached out to families involved.
She said families could just give the officers a call and that they would go to their houses to assist them.
“I have been informed that counselling services are provided through two channels, one through the police, and another through JKM itself.
“The one under JKM will be carried out on an ongoing basis. It is not just for a few days, but it will continue for as long as the victims or their families need it.
“Counselling has already been provided, some have already had sessions, while others have been contacted by JKM officers or the families have already been reached out to,” she told reporters after visiting the wife and parents of Kpl Muhamad Akmal Muhamad, 35, who were among the nine killed in the crash on May 13.
Noraini added that the duration of counselling depended on the needs of the families, and as for the children, she would ask the department to carry out further assessments of their current condition.
“We are ready, and we are always prepared to provide the counselling services for as long as they are needed.
“The counselling includes for the children of the personnel who had passed away, as well as those who are injured,” she added
Noraini said the department has provided an initial emergency aid of RM300 handed over to the affected families.
“Today, under the National Welfare Foundation (YKN), we gave RM1,000 to each family,” she added.
On May 13, the incident occurred when a truck carrying 18 FRU Unit 5 members based in Sungai Senam, Ipoh, collided with a gravel-laden lorry that veered into the opposite lane.
The collision resulted in eight FRU members dying at the scene and one succumbing to injuries at Teluk Intan Hospital, while nine others were injured, some critically.
During the incident, the FRU vehicle was returning to Ipoh along with six other FRU vehicles after completing duties for the Chitra Pournami festival in Teluk Intan.
