SANDAKAN: Aid for victims of the Kampung Bahagia fire will be given regardless of status, but long-term housing solutions will prioritise Malaysian citizens, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said the approach reflects the realities on the ground, as a significant number of those affected are not citizens.
Anwar announced RM1,500 in compassionate aid from the Federal Government for each affected family, involving about 300 families with a total allocation of RM450,000.
“Of the RM1,500, RM500 is an additional amount from the Prime Minister’s Department,” he said.
The federal assistance will be channelled through the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department and the National Disaster Management Agency.
This brings the total immediate assistance to RM3,500 per household, including the earlier announced RM2,000 from the Sabah government, RM1,000 from the state government and RM1,000 from Yayasan Kebajikan Sabah.
He said the assistance would be extended to all affected families on humanitarian grounds.
“Although it is a bit complicated because some (of the affected victims) are not citizens, we will provide aid to all affected families on humanitarian grounds,” the Prime Minister said when met after paying a visit to victims at the Kampung Bahagia mosque and temporary relief centre at PPR Taman Batu Sapi on Wednesday (April 22).
Anwar said that while immediate aid would be given to all, long-term measures such as housing would involve different considerations, with priority given to Malaysian citizens.
On education, he stressed that children affected by the fire should return to school immediately,
He added that schools have been instructed to allow flexibility while assistance is arranged for uniforms and school supplies.
The Education Ministry will provide RM300 in special assistance to each Malaysian student affected, benefiting 454 students from 12 schools.
“Students must go back to school. Even if they do not have uniforms for now, there will be flexibility,” Anwar said.
Additional support, including transport arrangements where necessary, would be considered to ensure students at temporary evacuation centres can continue attending school.
The fire, which broke out on Sunday (April 19), displaced 9,007 residents after destroying about 1,000 stilt houses in Kampung Bahagia, Batu Sapi.
