Kota Kinabalu: The RM8.9 million Disaster Supplies Storage Depot (DSKB) in Sabah that was completed on Dec 10 last year will help the State to implement early preparations to face any disaster, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun.
Rina said the first DSKB in the State, and the eighth in the country, would serve as the facility for storing, preparing and distributing essential items to victims affected by disasters.
Other storage depots are located in Kedah, Johor, Selangor, Terengganu, Kelantan, Pahang and Sarawak.
“The depot can store two weeks supplies of essential items to 100,000 disaster victims at any one time. The Social Welfare Department (JKM) will coordinate the distribution of assistance.
“Disasters strike without warning, they happen suddenly. Thus, we have to make early preparations when disasters strike such as floods, we already have in store supplies of essential items such as dry food for immediate distribution,” she told reporters after opening the “Kasih Prihatin” programme, organised by the National Welfare Foundation, at Sabah International Convention Centre, here.
Rina said other parties are welcome to contribute supplies to the Sabah DSKB and to do so they are encouraged to coordinate with JKM.
Meanwhile, Rina said the Government has allocated RM345.9 million for her Ministry to cater to the needs and welfare of the people in Sabah, adding that it was a big amount compared to other states.
On the “Kasih Prihatin” programme, Rina, who is also Yayasan Kebajikan Negara Chairman, said the foundation had received contributions amounting to RM622,000 since November last year through strategic collaborations it forged with various parties from the corporate sector to distribute assistance to the Sabah people.
“Today, corporations such as Alliance Islamic Bank contributed RM20,000 as tithe payment for asnaf (eligible recipients of the tithe) children in the state, MyNIC donated five tablets to asnaf children and Ronald McDonalds House Charities Malaysia contributed RM2,000 to four orphanages each,” she said.
