PASIR MAS: The Bantuan Wang Ihsan (BWI) of RM10,000 for the next of kin of individuals confirmed to have perished in the floods would be speeded up after completion of the application process.

Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister, Datuk Siti Zailah Yusoff said their next of kin could summit the application for the BWI (Compassionate Cash Aid) to the penghulu or nearest district officer.

"A BWI of RM1,000 is also given to the flood-affected heads of household," she told reporters after the handing-out of the BWI to 170 recipients from among the 700 flood victims in the Rantau Panjang district at Sekolah Kebangsaan Gual Tinggi, here, today.

In KUALA LUMPUR, 716 individuals from 1,775 families affected by the floods, a landslide and a fire incident recently received a BWI of RM1,000 up to today.

Federal Territories Minister, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said besides the BWI, the flood victims also received an additional aid of RM300 from Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan.

"The rest will be receiving the aid soon," he said after handing out the BWI to the flood victims in Kampung Pasir Baru today.

Shahidan said that 313 families in the Lembah Pantai parliamentary constituency received the aid today, comprising 298 families in Kampung Pasir Baru and 15 families affected by a landslide at the Bangsar Indah Kondominium, through an allocation of RM313,000.

-- BERNAMA