PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced a comprehensive relief package for victims of the Kampung Bahagia fire, including free replacement of lost personal documents and RM300 in education assistance for affected students, following a disaster that razed approximately 1,000 homes.
He said officials from the National Registration Department (NRD) would be deployed directly to the affected area to expedite the replacement of essential documents through the MEKAR mobile service initiative.
“I have requested and discussed with the Home Minister, the department will come here, around Kampung Bahagia to carry out process,” Anwar told reporters after visiting fire victims at the site.
The Prime Minister was accompanied during the visit by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) president Datuk Ewon Benedick.
Anwar said the government would fully absorb the cost of replacing key identification documents, including MyKad, MyKid, birth certificates and other vital records, while passport replacements would be facilitated by the Immigration Department.
The MEKAR initiative will provide on-site services to allow victims to obtain replacements without needing to travel to JPN offices.
The Home Ministry confirmed that each application would be carefully verified against existing national records to ensure only eligible individuals receive assistance.
“The replacement of essential documents lost or destroyed and handled by JPN includes Birth Certificates, MyKid, MyKad, Death Certificates and Non-Muslim Marriage Certificates,” the ministry said in a statement.
“At the same time, the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) is also providing free passport replacements, subject to prevailing eligibility conditions,” it added.
The ministry stressed that priority would be given to affected residents to prevent prolonged hardship caused by the loss of identification documents.
“This effort reflects the MADANI Government’s commitment to ensuring assistance is delivered swiftly, conveniently and with compassion, in line with the values of care and concern,” the statement said.
On the education front, Anwar announced RM300 in direct aid for each of the 454 Malaysian students from 12 schools affected by the fire, aimed at helping families replace uniforms, books and other learning materials.
“We are providing for every Malaysian child…RM300 for each student, so that uniforms, books and such can be replaced immediately,” he stated.
He also said students would be allowed temporary flexibility to attend school without uniforms to avoid disruption to their education.
“I asked the schoolchildren here why they were not attending school, and the answer was that they did not have uniforms,” Anwar explained.
The Prime Minister further assured that logistical support, including transport arrangements, would be provided to ensure pupils could continue attending school despite the disaster.
Earlier, Anwar had visited the affected community and assessed the scale of destruction following Sunday’s major blaze, which swept through Kampung Bahagia and left widespread damage across more than four hectares. - April 23, 2026
