UPKO AND SAHABAT ALAM SEKITAR MALAYSIA COLLECTS AND DISTRIBUTED RICE TO PENAMPANG FLOOD VICTIMS

14 OCT 2014



Photo shows Boijol in blue striped shirt handing the donations to Mojuntin

Oswald Supi

PENAMPANG. “Be responsible with any remarks on the latest big flood.” Penampang UPKO Chief Datuk Donald Mojuntin was responding to question regarding those who insisted that the Babagon Dam was partly the cause of the flood, without actually checking out the facts or even seen what the dam looks like. He has been to the site and confirms the spillway allows only excess water to flow out in order to maintain the same safe level in the reservoir.

However, he is considering another visit with the UPKO youths to enable the relevant authorities to thrash this issue once and for all and counter the negative perceptions from the people.

Mojuntin was speaking just before accepting flood relief donations in the form of bags of rice, adding that donations from any NGO, companies and even opposition parties or private individuals are much welcomed and the UPKO youths are only making sincere efforts to carry out the distributions to those badly affected by the flood. This is not the time to politicise the suffering of the people, he added.

Later, another NGO called Pertubuhan Sahabat Alam Sekitar Malaysia (SAS) arrived with another 135 bags of rice. They were represented by Datuk Jackson Boijol as the Director for Sabah, together with his secretary Stephen Jimbangan and two executive members Edward Marail and Leung Chook Tuck.

In his brief handing over speech, Boijol informed that SAS is an NGO that works with the government to conserve and protect the environment. It was formed in 2012 and the head office is at Shah Alam Selangor. The President Datuk Haji Malik Yusop also shared his sympathy for all flood victims.

This event is impromptu but decided out of sincerity due to the call by the Chief of Unity Division to anyone who can help, this is not the time to brag or point fingers but instead carry out our social obligations. We hope other NGOs will follow suit, he added.

Later another company Chang Cheng Realty Sdn Bhd delivered 100 bags making the total collection on Tuesday to 235 bags of rice. It was known to UPKO that another 1500 families were still waiting for assistance.