Datuk Keramat market fire: Help centre counter opens today - Rina

KUALA LUMPUR: The Pasar Datuk Keramat Hawkers Association's help centre counter will be opened at about 10 am today to help traders whose business premises were destroyed in a fire yesterday afternoon.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said the counter would be opened at the area to collect information from the victims for the purpose of channelling aid.

"They (traders) have to first lodge a police report and collect information on what they lost to register all this at the counter before any assistance is channelled (to them)," she told reporters at the scene, here, last night.

Commenting on the placement of the Ramadan bazaar by the market traders, Rina said she would discuss the matter with the local authorities and the Federal Territories Ministry.

"I understand they (traders) want to open a Ramadan bazaar and now that their premises have been affected by the fire, they will need a new location to do business," she said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's senior political secretary, Datuk Seri Mohd Nardim Awang presented donations on behalf of the premier to the affected Pasar Datuk Keramat traders, while Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa also visited the market area last night.

Earlier yesterday, more than 40 shops at the market were destroyed in the fire, however, no casualties were reported.

-- BERNAMA