Floods: MAIWP Urged To Provide Aid Immediately - Mohd Na'im

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar has urged the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) to expedite the delivery of assistance to flood victims in affected states.

He said this should be done immediately using the RM12 million allocation that has been set aside, given the urgent flood situation.

“The focus is on the East Coast states such as Kelantan and Terengganu, as well as Kedah. Johor and Pahang have also started to experience flooding,” he told reporters after launching the Kampung Bharu Bijak Bestari Programme by Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) here today.

Yesterday, Mohd Na’im announced an additional RM7 million allocation from MAIWP to assist flood victims nationwide, bringing the total allocation to RM12 million, which includes the RM5 million announced last Saturday.

Regarding the Kampung Bharu Bijak Bestari Programme, Mohd Na’im said TH has contributed RM159,700 to enhance students’ academic performance and support the Unity Government’s efforts through the MADANI Adopted Village and Santuni MADANI initiatives.

The programme, which runs from Oct 5 to Dec 14, involves 100 primary and secondary school students in Kampung Bharu here. Activities include tuition classes, motivational camps, workshops and learning seminars to encourage students to continue attending school.

Earlier, in his speech, Mohd Na’im expressed his appreciation to TH for supporting the government’s efforts to address community needs, particularly in educational development, through the Kampung Bharu Bijak Bestari Programme.

“The government hopes that this initiative will further strengthen the educational standards at all levels of society and provide support to students, particularly those from asnaf families, to improve their academic performance,” he said.

Meanwhile, TH group managing director and chief executive officer Syed Hamadah Syed Othman said the programme aims to assist students from underprivileged families and address the issue of school dropouts.

He said the programme, in collaboration with the Federal Territories Foundation as the implementing agency, focuses on seminars covering various topics such as science, entrepreneurship, robotics technology, Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exam techniques, prospects in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), as well as career planning and knowledge sharing sessions.

The MADANI Adopted Village and Santuni MADANI initiatives are government efforts to empower communities and bridge the socio-economic divide between urban and rural areas.

-- BERNAMA