MIRI: All flood victims in Niah have received assistance from the Welfare Department with no one left out as claimed by an NGO.
Bekenu assemblywoman Rosey Yunus told The Borneo Post when contacted yesterday: “As far as we know those who have reported to the authority concerned are given assistance.”
Rosey refuted a claim by an NGO that certain villagers living in Taman Negara Niah did not receive flood assistance.
According to her, as of Jan 26, the Welfare Department had given assistance to 87 families (281 persons) staying at Batu Niah Community hall and 40 families (111 persons) at SMK Suai.
The assistance was food aid and necessities such as blankets, pillows, television and fans.
The assemblywoman said: “I hope the NGO can refer its complaints to the Welfare Department where their personnel are working hard in evacuation centres.”
A faxed statement send by Brimas research and documentation officer Flora Tebiang claimed that a few villagers living at Niah National Park did not receive assistance among them Lawrence Sariji Mat and Stephen Tebiang Amit.
A few flood victims sheltering at a church in Niah were also not given assistance.
The statement also claimed that in the 2009 flood, certain authorities had discriminated in channelling assistance.