Kg Gok Kapur Fire: Food, Clothing Donations Sufficient, Cash Aid needed For Victims - JKM

KOTA BHARU, June 11 (Bernama) -- Donations of food and clothing for the victims of the fire in Kampung Gok Kapur have now exceeded current needs, and as such, the Kelantan Social Welfare Department (JKM) is encouraging the public to channel cash aid to support the victims’ long-term recovery.

Kelantan JKM director Che Samsuzuki Che Noh said all 27 victims of the fire have received assistance and continuous monitoring from the agency since the incident occurred on Monday (June 8).

“Currently, donations in the form of food and clothing from various parties have exceeded the needs of the victims. At the same time, JKM is also distributing basic needs to help them during this interim period.

“As such, those who wish to help are encouraged to channel cash contributions as these are more urgently needed to meet the long-term needs of the victims,” he told Bernama today.

He said the financial contributions could be used to help victims find temporary accommodation, pay house rent and cover other expenses during the post-fire recovery process.

Che Samsuzuki said JKM had disbursed immediate assistance of RM300 to every affected family the day after the incident to help ease their burden.

“Now entering the fourth day of the incident, most of the victims are now staying with their relatives. Of the 27 affected families, only six families are still housed at the temporary evacuation centre in Masjid Banggol.

“We have also deployed about four JKM personnel and counsellors at any one time at the centre to manage the needs of the victims and provide psychosocial support services. So far, the situation is still under control and no specific requests have been received,” he said.

On Monday, a total of 27 houses were destroyed in the fire at Kampung Gok Kapur, with the cause still under investigation by the Fire and Rescue Department's forensic team.

-- BERNAMA