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  Today Online 28 Dec 06
S'pore organisations help in relief efforts

Channel NewsAsia 25 Dec 06
Singapore volunteers continue to help flood victims in Malaysia
By Pearl Forss

Channel NewsAsia 24 Dec 06
Singapore NGOs get to work to help Malaysian flood victims
By Asha Popatlal

Straits Times 24 Dec 06
Singapore volunteers to help victims in Johor

TWO teams of volunteers from the Singapore Red Cross and Mercy Relief set out this morning for Johor to help the victims of the recent floods.

The Singapore Red Cross team went to Johor Baru with six volunteers and RM22,600 (S$9,800) worth of food and relief items, including 1,200kg of rice, 720kg of sugar, 1,500 packets of instant noodles, 1,000 cans of canned food and basic toiletries. The team will work with the Johor Baru branch of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) to offer assistance in first aid and delivery of the food items.

Mercy Relief's five-man team took with them 3,000 hygiene kits and 100 water filter systems worth $34,000. They left with a convoy from the Singapore Land Rover Owners' Club. They will support the work of Mercy Malaysia, which has set up its operation base in Muar to provide assistance to several evacuation centres in the area.

Last week's heavy rain - the worst in 100 years - has caused severe floods in many parts of southern Malaysia. The worst-hit areas in Johor include the state capital Johor Baru and the central towns of Muar and Kluang. According to MRCS, more than 80,000 people have been displaced by the rising waters.

In the Red Cross team is veteran volunteer Patrick Lim. Said the 52-year-old businessman: 'This is my first flood-relief operation, but I'm prepared for it. We are all trained first-aiders and we will work very closely with our Malaysian partner.'

The Mercy Relief team is expected to return to Singapore next Sunday, while the Red Cross team will stay in Johor Baru for about a week.

Channel NewsAsia 24 Dec 06
Singapore NGOs get to work to help Malaysian flood victims
By Asha Popatlal

Non-governmental organisations from Singapore started work in Malaysia on Sunday to help flood victims there.

More than 80,000 people have been displaced in the worst flooding Malaysia has faced in a century. Five days after the flood, villagers in Johor are still being evacuated to dry ground. There are still areas which are cut off by the road and are accessible only by boat or helicopter.

One of the worst hit areas in the Johor state is Muar, where close to 19 000 people were affected. Villagers in the area have set up makeshift homes in schools and stadiums. One sports hall, for example, has been home to over 1,800 people in the last few days. Rosli Mohammad, Villager, Pekan Pago, Muar, said: "Most of our possessions have been spoilt because the flood water kept rising."

Dr Jemilah Mahmood, President, Mercy Malaysia, said: "The local authorities and their local government have actually done quite well to ensure they get enough food and the basic needs but the critical area is water because a lot of the pumps are now flooded and therefore they have no proper piped-in water being supplied."

To alleviate the situation, Mercy Relief Singapore is working with Mercy Malaysia to distribute 100 water filtration systems. Mercy Relief Singapore has also distributed 2,000 hygiene kits, which includes items like toothbrush and shampoo.

Helping to transport the items were Land Rover enthusiasts from Singapore. Frederick Foo, Executive Director, Mercy Relief, said: "We have a team of six men on the ground here and they are here to support Mercy Malaysia. The team leader will also be conducting assessments and he will be giving us daily seed wraps, from there we'll decide on how the situation has either improved or requires more help."

The Singapore Red Cross has also sent a team of nine volunteers and over S$10,000 worth of food and relief items to flood victims. The situation on the ground is improving everyday and it is believed that the flood waters will subside in about a week's time as long as it does not rain. - CNA/ch

Channel NewsAsia 25 Dec 06
Singapore volunteers continue to help flood victims in Malaysia
By Pearl Forss

SINGAPORE: Singapore NGOs continued to help flood victims in Malaysia. Mercy Relief distributed another 500 hygiene kits and 2,000 ringgit worth of milk powder in Batu Pahat on Monday.

The team, together with Mercy Malaysia, also managed to gain access to a village where 3,000 people have been isolated since Tuesday. Volunteers from the Lions Befrienders were also helping out.

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from Singapore started work in Malaysia on Sunday. Meanwhile the team from the Singapore Red Cross have returned home. They are now packing more baby food and diapers to deliver to Malaysia in the next two days. The flood situation in Malaysia has improved, but 74,000 people remain at relief centres. - CNA/ir

Today Online 28 Dec 06
S'pore organisations help in relief efforts

Organisations in Singapore are doing their bit to help their neighbours in Johor who have been hit by the floods.

Yesterday, a second team from the Singapore Red Cross Society left for Kota Tinggi to help with relief efforts. The eight volunteers brought with them blankets, baby food items and diapers to distribute at various relief centres set up in Johor Bahru.

A hovercraft from Johor Bahru is also being sent to Muar to assist in the relief efforts in remote villages.

On Saturday, a first team of volunteers distributed over RM20,000 worth of relief and food items required by the Malaysian Red Cross Society, which is involved in rescue operations and the management of the relief centres.

The Eurasian Association is also helping to spearhead a donation drive, following a spontaneous response from people in the Eurasian community to personal calls for aid from across the Causeway. The EA is collecting items such as towels, blankets, old clothes and canned food.

The initiative has grown since Monday and has already secured about 1,000 blankets, but volunteers for packing and sorting are in short supply, says the group. Members of the public can help or drop off donations at the Eurasian Community House at Ceylon Road until tomorrow. The group will drive to Johor on Saturday to deliver the items to the relief centres. — Derrick A Paulo
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