KPWKM to give RM3,000 to families of helicopter crash victims

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM), through Yayasan Kebajikan Negara, will donate RM3,000 under the "Skim Pemberian Ehsan Kepada Keluarga Mangsa (PEKA YKN)" to families of the victims who perished when two helicopters crashed at the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) base in Lumut.

Its Minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri hoped that the aid, which will be channelled soon, would help to alleviate their burden and ease their sadness and grief.

"I will hand over the (PEKA YKN) aid to the family of the victim in Sarawak while my deputy (Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad) will do the same to the families of the victims in Sabah and Lumut," she told the media after the Yasin and Tahlil recitation for the victims of the helicopter tragedy here today.

About 200 ministry personnel attended the recitation, which was led by KPWKM Islamic Affairs assistant officer Uztaz Muhammad Zaid Jumali.

Nancy said the ministry would also reach out to the families of the victims through counselling guidance by the One-Stop Social Support Centres and Social Welfare Department in providing aid support and referrals provided by the agencies under the ministry.

She said her ministry would also collaborate with the Ministry of Education to provide counselling services to the victims' families, including their school-going children.

"The ministry is always committed to helping those in need, including the next of kin of the victims who may now have no one to depend on to continue living.

"Everyone in the KPWKM is saddened by the incident and prays for their souls to be placed among the righteous," she said.

The 9.32 am tragedy on Tuesday involving the Maritime Operations Helicopter (HOM-AW139) and a Fennec aircraft (M502-6) during a rehearsal for a flypast in conjunction with the 90th RMN Anniversary took the lives of 10 RMN personnel, including three women.

-- BERNAMA