Rubin (left) getting feedback from a villager during his walkabout in the affected areas.
KOTA KINABALU: All those affected by the flood in Tenom must be given food and water, said Kemabong assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang.
“By all we mean even those who are stranded at their respective villages as they were unable to be evacuated in time,” said Rubin who was on the ground the past few days monitoring the situation at the affected areas in Tenom.
According to him, the decision to provide assistance to all the victims was made during a recent meeting with the district disaster committee which Community Service and People’s Wellbeing Minister Shahhelmey Yahya also attended.
“The Welfare Department’s requirment is no longer applicable as the minister had agreed during the meeting that all flood victims including those who were not evacuated to the disaster relief centres, are eligible to receive assistance,” he said.
Rubin in expressing his disappointment, claimed that the Welfare Department had only provided assistance to those who are housed at the relief centres but neglected those who were stranded in the villages.
“The Welfare Department must be sensitive to the needs of the people as some have stranded in the villages for three days and they are unable to go out to purchase food and water,” he said.
The situation in Tenom is still bad as the water level in the Padas River is still high.
Rubin added that as the weather is unpredictable, he will ensure that assistance will reach all the victims.