Flood aid: Flurry of activities at Penang gurdwara; Pulapol and Kuala Pilah contribute

Kuala Pilah gurdwara team with aid for Jelebu flood victims – Photo: GSKP

By Asia Samachar | Malaysia |

A number of Malaysian gurdwaras have come forward to assist floods victims around the country, either by raising funds or collecting items required by the victims.

Gurdwara Sahib Pulapol (GSP) recently raised some RM4,100 from well wishers and handed them to the Shah Alam gurdwara team which has started work to assist flood victims at Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam, and other areas in Klang Valley. Apart from cash, they also received dozens of essential items such as blankets, pillows, clothings, toiletries, pampers and dry rations and cooking oil to be distributed accordingly.

The efforts amplify the work already undertaken at Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya and Gurdwara Sahib Guru Nanak Shah Alam.

Gurdwara Sahib Kuala Pilah (GSKP) had delivered groceries and food ration to flood victims in Kampung Chennah, in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan. Also actively working to assist the flood victims are the volunteers from Gurdwara Sahib Seremban.

“We hope with this small effort, the flood victims burden will be reduced,” according to a social media update at the Facebook of GSKP which serves a small Sikh community in the town.

Flurry of activities at Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang

Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang (WGSP) is another centre of activity. It coordinated a 40-foot trailer carrying double mattress, pillows and blankets direct delivery from factory as well as dry food provisions, medicated soaps electrical items and kitchen stoves to Gurdwara Sahib Mentakab to assist flood victims in the state of Pahang. Another 21-foot contained carried more items. On Thursday (30 Dec), most of the goods distributed in the rural areas of Bukit Kapur.

The drop-off drive were held at WSGP and Gurdwara Sahib Butterworth.

WGSP collaborated with the Mahindarama Temple, Bhojana Kitchen and Mitta For Life in several Outreach Projects. They also worked with the Mahindarama temple, Pure Lotus Hospice, 32 Fresh Charity Mission, Amata, Himmat Support Group, Sungai Ara Community Ambulance and Dhamika Metta Group.

“It has been a fruitful and fulfilling experience working with other like-minded organisations,” WGSP said in a Facebook update.

As of Tuesday (Dec 28), the Malaysian Gurdwaras Council (MGC) has given cash handout totaling more than RM120,000 to families in Bentong and Taman Sri Muda, two of the places most badly affected by the recent spate of flooding around the nation. Each affected family received RM2,000. The process to identify other affected families continues.

“We started visiting the affected families on ground. The families who are not at home, we have created a list and invited them to gurdwara to collect the cash aid. This is the first time MGC went directly to families,” an MGC official told Asia Samachar.

Malaysia is battling some of its worst flash floods in years. The anger on the ground was exacerbated by the seeming lack of quick action by the authorities.

The tropical nation in south-east Asia often experiences stormy monsoon seasons towards the end of the year, with flooding regularly prompting mass evacuations.

GS Pulapol team handing over aid to the team at Shah Alam – Photo: Supplied

RELATED STORY:

Cash handouts from Malaysian Gurdwaras Council to flood victims. More than RM120,000 already given (Asia Samachar, 28 Dec 2021)

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