[Malaysia] What Happen to Tsunami Aid Schemes in Kedah?

Irregularities alleged in tsunami aid schemes
Adriana Nordin Manan, Malaysiakini
Jun 22, 2005

Fisherman Yusoof Awang has been out of work for the last five months, but has found plenty to keep him occupied as the representative of tsunami survivors who have been relocated to jerry-built transit housing in Kuala Muda, Kedah.

Even the hassles of bureaucracy have not dampened his spirits. He has just returned from a trip to Kuala Lumpur to submit letters to various government agencies and to premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, urging investigations into the delay in disbursing aid to those affected.

Several villages in Kuala Muda, near Sungai Petani, were the worst affected in Malaysia when the Indian Ocean tsunami hit on Dec 26. About 2,000 people in the area - mainly fishermen and padi farmers - saw their homes and fishing boats destroyed by the waves.

Financial aid and other resources have been slowly trickling down but not in any co-ordinated way, according to some accounts on the ground.

"Frankly speaking, the distribution of aid to tsunami victims has not met its target at all. The bureaucracy is too pervasive and victimises people," said Yusoof (left).

"There are irregularities in disbursement and no uniformity in dealing with compensation. Some people took advantage by requesting assistance despite being affected only a little or not at all...yet, they received aid, while others who were badly affected have not received fair compensation."

Yusoof cited the predicament of the awak-awak (fishermen who don’t own boats) as a case in point, saying the decision not to award them goodwill compensation was questionable from the start. Now he has evidence that this rule is not being followed, as some have received compensation.

"When I approached the Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) for clarification, I was challenged to lodge a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency," he said in disbelief.

'Prevent fraud'

He pointed out that the most important aspect of relief and reconstruction efforts should be to gauge the extent of damage, determine the number of people affected and allocate aid accordingly.

"Sadly, this was not done by the authorities. Instead, the police and district office have asked to use the list that I compiled," he said in reference to his list of awak-awak and tekong (owners of fishing boats).

However, he was quick to add that survivors in Kuala Muda have received generous aid in the form of food, clothing and electrical appliances. Each transit house is equipped with a refrigerator, washing machine and mattresses.

Asked to comment on claims that the tsunami victims should be "more grateful" for the aid, he said: "We are grateful and we’re not criticising the government. Our criticism is for those entrusted with the responsibility to help us. All we ask is for help as those worst affected by the tsunami."

Kampung Tepi Sungai chief Ismail Othman, who also heads the Kuala Muda Fishermen's Unit, concurred. Fresh from a day at sea when met at his house, he noted the importance of checks and balances in allocating funds.

"When we submitted names of villagers eligible for assistance to LKIM, a few who were excluded took matters in their own hands and filed requests which were also accepted," he claimed.

"This should not have happened, as we discovered that those who suffered little damage received assistance at the expense of more deserving villagers. The authorities should come to the ground and make sure that fraud does not occur."

Permanent housing

On a brighter note, Yusoof said the construction of 126 permanent housing units will begin next month.

"Representatives from (national housing company) Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd and contractors informed us of this when they visited us recently," he said.

Worry has been expressed about the durability of the plywood transit housing units located about two kilometres from the coast. Poor drainage has also given rise to health concerns.

"I am no contractor to comment on the quality of the transit housing...suffice to say it is a decent outcome for a two-week job," Yusoof said.

In the nearby town of Merbok, Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid of the Kedah-based NGO Teras Pengupayaan Melayu spoke about living conditions in the transit housing area.

"Initially, garbage trucks would drive along the houses and cause them to shake. We then requested that garbage bins be placed by the side of the road, so that the trucks need not enter the housing area," he said.

"The weak structure of the houses is an unsettling reality. It will be impossible for the transit units to last another next year or two until the permanent houses are completed."

Pessimistic assessments were not shared by Kampung Masjid head Hussain Ahmad, who had only praise for the assistance accorded to the 238 families in the village.

He said the villagers have received generous benefits under the aid schemes, including donations of food items, and that their needs had been met from the start.

"When you are placed in a predicament caused by such disasters as the tsunami, you really learn the true nature of people. There are those who are grateful, while others can never be satisfied and remain disgruntled regardless of what you do to help," he noted.

"As I see it, the residents here have been assisted tremendously regardless of whether they are fishermen or padi farmers. Those who claim otherwise should be more grateful and patient if progress is slower than expected."

Impact on poverty

Ismail (left) spoke about the wider impact of the tsunami in an area where 15 percent of the population were, in 1987, placed under the government's programme to eradicate hardcore poverty.

"In 2002, the percentage of villagers assisted under the scheme had dropped to seven percent. We were seeing progress in eliminating poverty until the tsunami struck. If long-term assistance is not provided, more people may fall back into poverty," he said.

Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia has given loans for micro-credit ventures to eligible villagers. Although the tsunami destroyed items purchased with the money, there has been no attempt to restructure loan repayments, he said.

"Our loans to purchase boats were only partially serviced. Having to continue paying for destroyed equipment compounds our difficulties, because we also have to repay loans provided under the two funds set up after the tsunami."

The political undercurrents in the reconstruction efforts have not gone unnoticed by locals, as Ismail points to the rivalry between political parties in coming to their aid.

"Among the first relief teams to arrive was PAS Kedah's public service unit. This was considerably earlier than Umno, although Puteri Umno became active during the period when villagers were being housed temporarily in schools," he said.

"PAS has been increasing its presence in Kuala Muda since the 1980s, due to weakness in the local Umno leadership, in my opinion."

There is no doubt the government response is being carefully watched. The cynics among the villagers expect that the permanent housing will be completed just in time for the next general election.


ADRIANA NORDIN MANAN was in Kuala Muda last week to assess the situation in two fishing villages which took the brunt of the Indian Ocean tsunami last December.