Malaysian consulate and Mercy Malaysia deliver aid to flood victims in Aceh

JAKARTA, Jan 4 — The Malaysian Consulate General in Medan, in cooperation with Mercy Malaysia, has extended humanitarian assistance to 125 families in Kota Lintang Bawah, Kuala Simpang, in Indonesia’s Aceh Tamiang.

Speaking to Bernama today, Consul General Shahril Nizam Abdul Malek said this was the third time such assistance has been handed over under the Peduli Bencana Banjir programme.

He said the assistance, distributed last Friday and comprising food baskets and cleaning tools, was intended to help flood victims meet their immediate needs and begin clearing debris left by the disaster.

He said Kota Lintang Bawah was among the hardest-hit areas, with most of its approximately 800 houses destroyed by the floods, leaving only a few slightly damaged.

“This village is located in a riverine area. When floods occur, there is an accumulation of logs carried along the river, which then crash into the homes of residents here,” he said.

Shahril Nizam said the consulate also engaged with local officials on the day of the handover to coordinate the pre-recovery process.

This includes the redevelopment of health facilities for communities, including 12 that were completely destroyed during disasters.

“We are working to establish a centre, which will be fully equipped with the basic facilities of a clinic,” he said.

The media reported that the floods and landslides that struck Sumatra in late November claimed more than 1,000 lives, with 165 people still missing, while more than 250,000 victims were displaced.

According to Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), Aceh Tamiang recorded the second-highest number of displaced persons, at about 115,000, behind Aceh Utara, which reported 166,900. — Bernama