Govt channels over RM125 mln BWI assistance to flood victims - Tengku Zafrul

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has so far channelled over RM125 million to the states affected by the floods to coordinate the disbursement of the compassionate cash aid (BWI) and BWI death assistance to heads of households (KIR).

Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said since Dec 27 until now, 75,000 KIR had received BWI payments of RM1,000 with disbursements totalling RM75,000.

Besides, he said 45,000 households affected by the floods had also benefitted from electricity bill exemption for the month of December 2021.

"Alhamdulillah, according to the latest data obtained, the discount vouchers for the purchase of electrical equipment worth RM500 have benefited about 5,100 heads of households with the total value of the vouchers used amounting to almost RM2.5 million," he said at a special parliamentary sitting to discuss matters relating to floods and long-term flood management today.

Meanwhile, Tengku Zafrul said the government had identified 439 KIRs who were eligible to receive cash assistance for minor home repairs of up to RM5,000 due to the Northeast Monsoon floods in December.

For KIRs, who were identified as having damaged houses costing more than RM5,000, he said the government would appoint contractors with a rate of up to RM15,000 for repairs and up to RM56,000 to build new houses.

"For house repairs worth RM5,000 to RM15,000, almost 10,000 houses have been identified as eligible for house repair facilities provided by the government.

"Furthermore, 259 flood victims have so far been identified as needing assistance to build new houses by the government," he said.

He said so far, almost 5,000 vehicles had been sent to about 1,800 registered car service centres and workshops for repairs under the Keluarga Malaysia Automotive Aid programme.

Meanwhile, he said funds accumulated through government-linked investment companies (GLICs) and government-linked companies (GLCs) through the GLIC/GLC Disaster Response Network (GDRN) had reached almost RM140 million.

"So far, GDRN has helped about 71,000 flood victims. Among the assistance provided includes the distribution of hotpack food, basic necessities, hygiene kits, cleaning work, cash, medicines, and more," he said.

-- BERNAMA