Free Document Replacement, RM300 Education Aid For Sandakan Fire Victims - PM Anwar

SANDAKAN, April 22 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today announced a free replacement initiative for personal identification documents as well as RM300 in education aid for fire victims in Kampung Bahagia here.

He said to facilitate victims who lost their documents, National Registration Department (JPN) personnel would be deployed to Kampung Bahagia to process the replacement of destroyed documents through its Menyemai Kasih Rakyat (MEKAR) mobile service.

Under the initiative, he said the government would fully bear the cost of replacing personal identification documents such as MyKad, MyKid, Birth Certificates, Death Certificates and Non-Muslim Marriage Certificates, as well as passport replacements handled by the Immigration Department.

“I have requested and discussed with the Home Minister (Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail), the department will come here, around Kampung Bahagia to carry out process,” he told reporters after visiting fire victims at the temporary relief centre at the Taman Batu Sapi People’s Housing Project Hall today.

Also present were Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Mustapha Sakmud.

On Sunday (April 19), a major fire in the water village destroyed about 1,000 houses and affected an area of more than four hectares.

Meanwhile, Anwar said RM300 in aid would be given to 454 Malaysian pupils from 12 schools affected by the fire through the Ministry of Education.

“For schooling, we are providing for every Malaysian child...RM300 for each student, so that uniforms, books and such can be replaced immediately. There may be other assistance from non-governmental organisations, but I think for immediate needs, we are providing RM300,” he said.

In addition to cash aid, Anwar also announced flexibility for pupils to attend school without uniforms temporarily to ensure their learning was not disrupted.

“I asked the schoolchildren here why they were not attending school, and the answer was that they did not have uniforms. Therefore, they are given flexibility to attend without uniforms, while the Social Welfare Department (JKM) arranges for new uniforms,” he said.

He also stressed that the government would ensure logistical facilities, including transportation, were provided to enable pupils to continue attending school.

-- BERNAMA