RM763.6 mil needed to rebuild houses, buildings damaged in Aceh quake

An estimated sum of IDR 2.3 trillion (approximately RM763.6 million) is required to rebuild houses and buildings destroyed in the earthquake which hit Pidie Jaya district last December.

Pidie Jaya district office representative Said Mulyadi said to date 23,000 houses severely damaged in the disaster had yet to be repaired and about IDR 1 trillion (RM331 million) losses were incurred by the people.

"We welcome and appreciate contributions from outsiders as the cost of redevelopment will involve a very huge sum," he told Johor media representatives at his home recently.

He also expressed his appreciation for the concern demonstrated by the Johor Media Club (JMC) and private companies such as Johor Corporation (JCorp) in helping Pidie Jaya community.

In fact, he said the RM50,000 raised by the JCorp-JMC Aceh Earthquake Humanitarian Fund would be channeled towards repairs for the Ahlissilsilah Mosque at Gampong Reuduo Kecamatan Pante Raja in Pidie Jaya, which was partially destroyed by the quake.

The money was presented to Said by KMJ president Mohd Fauzi Ishak in a ceremony witnessed by JCorp business development senior manager Wan Mohd Nizam Wan Mohd Omar and its corporate communications deputy manager Mohd Ainuddin Aliff Salehuden.

Over 100 people perished, while homes, buildings and mosques were severely damaged when a 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Pidie Jaya, which is about four hours drive from here, on Dec 7 last year.

Meanwhile, Mohd Ainuddin said JCorp was looking into ways of helping Pidie Jaya community in an effort to help alleviate their sufferings.

He said the three-day humanitarian mission organised in collaboration with the JMC was part of the company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.

The mission, held from Jan 25-27, also included the handover of two water pumps to orphans sheltering at the Johor Orphanage and a visit to the Ahlissilsilah Mosque in Pidie Jaya. -- BERNAMA