KUALA LUMPUR – Victims in flood-hit Klang have reportedly been confronted with an elaborate form from the district’s Community Development Department in order to receive assistance.
Photos of the two-page form are making its rounds on social media.
The form came to light after Twitter user Faiz Bahruddin (@faizfaiz) posted its contents and highlighted what he believes is red tape.
“While waiting for the waters to recede, cleaning the house, (you have to) think of what the wife and children are going to eat, you must look for a printer shop, find your bills that are drenched, and walk to a police station because the car is inundated, and then fill in the form,” he said.
Based on images of the form, the document requires a verification stamp from an assemblyman or village head, a police report, and copies of utility bills.
On top of that, applicants are required to provide copies of their identity cards, and a “bright and clear” photograph of their damaged properties.
And, aside from personal and residential details, applicants are required to provide personal details of their household members.
The form covers common natural disasters and incidents such as fires, storms, and floods.
For flood incidents, the applicant must specify the water level that inundated their homes or premises, whether it reached the heel, knee, or torso.
At the time of writing, Faiz’s tweet has gained nearly 100 retweets, many of them condemning the processes involved.
The issues with the form from the Klang district office are similar to the grouses faced by residents in Kinrara Court in Puchong.
Earlier this morning, The Vibes carried a story on Kinrara Court residents who were dissatisfied with the requirements of having to submit photos and police reports despite having experienced a disaster.
Rough estimates reveal that each condominium unit on the ground floor suffered at least RM10,000 to RM20,000 in damages, with some suffering even more.
Flood victim Kavitha Selvaraju said she is disappointed with the apparent lack of assistance by the government during the height of the floods, saying it was NGOs that arrived and provided food assistance on Saturday after waters receded.
She added that the RM1,000 assistance from Putrajaya was far from enough, what with the red tape one has to navigate to apply for it.
“It is very cumbersome for residents who are struggling to pick up the pieces following the natural disaster.
“They said we need to take pictures and make a police report. You must think. We are struggling here, so how to take photos?”
“I didn’t even know where my phone was.” – The Vibes, December 21, 2021
