KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) has mobilised employee volunteers to deliver immediate disaster relief worth RM270,000 to 1,000 families displaced by the recent fire in Kampung Bahagia, Sandakan.
The foundation said in a statement that the assistance, provided with support from Sime Industrial and SD Guthrie volunteers, was distributed between April 26 and 28 in collaboration with the Sabah Social Welfare Department (JKM) and local community leaders.
“When families suddenly lose everything overnight, the immediate priority is to restore stability and dignity; and in times like these, caring for one another matters more than ever,” YSD chief executive officer Yatela Zainal Abidin said.
She said YSD viewed it as a shared responsibility to stand with affected communities and ensure essential support reaches those most vulnerable as they begin rebuilding their lives.
The fire, which broke out in the early hours of April 19, destroyed more than 1,000 homes and affected over 9,000 residents, with some families sheltering in temporary evacuation centres and others remaining in the village in makeshift tents.
YSD said volunteers helped pack and distribute mattresses, pillows and hygiene kits to eight temporary evacuation centres, including SK Kampung Gas, SK Kampung Bahagia, SMK Batu Sapi, SK Karamunting, PPR Batu Sapi, Gelanggang Futsal Sim-Sim, Dewan Serbaguna Warga Tua and Dewan Sibuga.
One of the victims, 63 year old Labia Atiun, who is currently staying at Dewan Serbaguna Warga Tua, said the fire spread rapidly and left families with nothing.
“The fire spread so quickly that everything was lost in an instant,” she said, adding that she now needs to find a rental home costing RM600 to RM700 a month.
Community leader Rozaizar Rozaine, 39, said he worked with YSD volunteers and residents to coordinate the distribution of aid to 580 families on April 27 using organised queues and a coupon system.
He said, “I was born and raised in Kampung Bahagia, and our community is still in shock after the fire. Despite this, life goes on, people continue working and sending their children to school.
“We believe families will return because this is our home, and we hope for continued support to help our community rebuild together, not just through one-off aid,” he added.
YSD said the distribution was carried out with JKM, which continues to manage operations at the evacuation centres, alongside ongoing engagement from the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, including a visit by minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
The foundation said it remains committed to supporting disaster affected communities through timely and coordinated interventions.
