Straits Times 24 Dec 06
TWO teams of volunteers from the Singapore Red Cross and Mercy Relief set out this morning for Johor to help the victims of the recent floods.
The Singapore Red Cross team went to Johor Baru with six volunteers and RM22,600 (S$9,800) worth of food and relief items, including 1,200kg of rice, 720kg of sugar, 1,500 packets of instant noodles, 1,000 cans of canned food and basic toiletries. The team will work with the Johor Baru branch of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) to offer assistance in first aid and delivery of the food items.
Mercy Relief's five-man team took with them 3,000 hygiene kits and 100 water filter systems worth $34,000. They left with a convoy from the Singapore Land Rover Owners' Club. They will support the work of Mercy Malaysia, which has set up its operation base in Muar to provide assistance to several evacuation centres in the area.
Last week's heavy rain - the worst in 100 years - has caused severe floods in many parts of southern Malaysia. The worst-hit areas in Johor include the state capital Johor Baru and the central towns of Muar and Kluang. According to MRCS, more than 80,000 people have been displaced by the rising waters.
In the Red Cross team is veteran volunteer Patrick Lim. Said the 52-year-old businessman: 'This is my first flood-relief operation, but I'm prepared for it. We are all trained first-aiders and we will work very closely with our Malaysian partner.'
The Mercy Relief team is expected to return to Singapore next Sunday, while the Red Cross team will stay in Johor Baru for about a week.
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