KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — Volunteers are coming from all over the country bringing aid, cash, food — anything and everything within their means — destined for weather-battered Penang.
The volunteers started coming in last Sunday when appeals spread like wildfire over social media.
With many volunteers already on the island and Seberang Prai today, viral messages with hashtags #bantuanbanjir and #penangflood are creating a buzz on social media.
Realising the trauma the victims are going through, aid volunteers continue to do good deeds and extend help to the victims, hoping this would alleviate their burden following the natural disaster described as the worst to hit the state in 50 years.
Here are some of the unsung heroes.
Malaysia International Search and Rescue (Misar)
Just 24 hours after the typhoon-like floods hit Penang last Sunday, Misar started requesting for monetary donations over the social media to fund its humanitarian operation.
It was one of the first to deploy its team of volunteers to the state. Its Facebook postings showed victims treading murky waters to receive the much-needed help in the form of non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies and toiletries.
The non-profit organisation is not new to disaster relief as it has had experiences during the Bright Sparklers Firework Factory fire in 1990, the Highland Tower incident in 1993, and the Sabah floods last year, among others.
Petronas
Petronas is working together with the Penang Flood Coordination Committees and Welfare Department in reaching out to the victims by providing food aid to about 1,000 families.
The aid consists of essential and dry food such as rice, cooking oil, sugar, biscuits, coffee, canned food, milk, drinking water and hygiene kits.
They were distributed from Thursday through Petronas Dagangan Berhad to 100 families relocated at the SK Padang Menora disaster evacuation centre, north of Seberang Prai.
Another 100 families in severely struck areas also received food aid provided at two Petronas stations at Sungai Lokan in Seberang Prai Utara and Taman Pauh in Permatang Pauh.
The effort continued on Friday at another eight evacuation centres and eight Petronas stations in the state.
Petronas Group strategic communications general manager Lita Osman expressed her sympathy for the victims.
“We hope our contribution, under our Sentuhan Kasih Petronas programme, will assist in the relief efforts,” she said.
On top of providing disaster relief assistance, Sentuhan Kasih Petronas reaches out to the underprivileged communities during festive seasons and hands out “back-to-school” aid for schoolchildren.
People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela)
Rela has organised a humanitarian aid convoy to the northern states, called 2.0 Rela Relief Mission, which carried food and cleaning items worth RM83,400.
Yesterday, the convoy — comprising 91 trucks, 17 vans, seven four-wheel-drive vehicles and one multi-purpose vehicle — arrived safely at the Northern Region Rela Training Centre in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
Deputy director-general (operations) Kamarudin Mohd Rapig and state Rela director Abdul Rashid Basiran visited homes in Lebuh Banting, which were hit by the disaster.
Rela members treated each other to free drinks and took turns carrying heavy items out of the battered homes.
Tom, Dick and Harry
The severity of the situation prompted businessman-publican Ernest Ong, 37, co-owner of Tom, Dick and Harry (TDH), to rally volunteers for their relief mission.
With weather conditions expected to remain uncertain, Ong told Malay Mail he and some 20 volunteers were prepared with five 5.2m boats to help victims evacuate.
“Apart from that, we will bring aid packages such as food and clothes,” he said.
Ong and the TDH community sent flood relief mission to the east coast during the floods in 2015, and other community-based aid programmes in the past.
Salute Malaysia
This non-governmental organisation moved into several flooded areas in Seberang Perai over the past 72 hours.
Its post-disaster remedial works are themed Salute Malaysia Rescue and Post Flood Care 2.0.
Its president Datuk Rizal Mansor said 60 volunteers converged from all over the state to help the flood victims clean up their homes.
He said Salute Malaysia not only provided manpower but gave essential items, including food, drinks and cleaning equipment. They were also accompanied by five medical officers.
Salute Malaysia, set up in 2014, was also involved in missions to help flood victims in Kuala Krai and Kota Baru in Kelantan, and post-flood missions in Perlis, Kedah and Pahang.
Food Aid Foundation
Working together with the Penang Chef Association, the foundation rallied to assist victims who lost belongings and homes.
Its founder Rick Chee said the collaboration enabled the preparation of 1,000 lunch and dinner boxes for distribution daily.
With help from 10 cooks and volunteers from schools and colleges, the food is distributed to victims identified by the authorities.
Kelab Putra 1Malaysia
It has distributed aid to some 5,000 victims since last Sunday, with the focus being basic amnesties like mattresses, pillows, blankets, infant milk powder, food and hygiene kits.
The target areas are victims in Seberang Prai, Bukit Gelugor, Jelutong, Balik Pulau, Bayan Lepas and Bayan Baru.
About 500 volunteers are assisting in the programme.
