Background
On 5th August 2014, a fire broke out in Kg. Tanjung Kapor in Kudat District, about 3 hours drive from Kota Kinabalu. A total of 499 squatters were made homeless after 67 houses were destroyed in a blaze at Kg. Tanjung Kapor.
A total of 16 firefighters with two fire engines from Kudat and Kota Marudu were rushed to the scene upon receiving a distress call at 12.45pm. The fire was controlled from spreading at 3.02 p.m. and the operation ended at 6.31pm.
It is heartening to note that there was no casualty in the incident and the cause of the fire and losses is still under investigation.
Tanjung Kapor Assemblyman YB Datuk Teo Chee Kang, State Minister of Special Tasks who visited the location said that some of the squatters who lost their homes in the 12.30pm blaze are locals and some are IMM13 holders.
For those victims who were fortunate to have immediate families and relatives in Kudat, they are currently staying with their families. The rest of the victims were relocated to three community halls namely in Kg. Tanjung Kapur, Kg. Pantai Bahagia and Kg Air. The Welfare Department has come in to help by preparing cooked food and other basic necessities to help the fire victims at the three relief halls.
Assistance by Rotary Club of Likas Bay
Upon reading the plight of the fire victims, The Rotary Club of Likas Bay led by President Gwendolen Vu and her Community Service Committee members immediately pledged a donation of RM6,000.00 from the Club with the approval from her board of directors and members. And through the good effort of DGE Philip Chong, RC Likas Bay was able to source another RM10,000.00 from Yayasan Kelab- Kelab Rotary Malaysia (ROTAFOM). The objectives of these funds were mainly to assist the fire victims by providing them with their immediate basic necessities including food items, clothings, etc.
On Tuesday 12th August 2014, members of the Rotary Club of Likas Bay coordinated and arranged the delivery of the food items in the Rotary Disaster Relief Boxes (80) sufficient for 80 families, 80 rice bags of 10kg and essentials items worth over RM200.00 per family. Other items contributed from kind donors were used clothings, shoes and soft toys for the children. All these items were delivered to the fire victims directly according to the list of families prepared by the Village head (JKK).
The handing over event took place officially at the Dewan 1Malaysia, Kg. Perpaduan, Gumpa, Kudat by President Gwendolen Vu and her team to the Village head. Rotarians witnessed the items delivered directly to the victims in the hall.
Her team of Rotarians present included Service Projects Chairman Rotarian Charlie Tan, Rotarian Gary Chieng, Rotarian Wesley Chua, Assistant Governor PP KP Lu, PP Datuk Lee Chuen Wan (Chairman of Rotary District 3310 Community Service) and Datuk Naomi Chong (Spouse of PP Datuk Lee), as well as Yayasan Kelab-Kelab Rotary Malaysia (ROTAFOM) Trustee PDG Datuk George Ginibun and spouse Datin Margaret Ginibun.
After the handing over event, President Gwendolen and her team also visited the exact location of the burnt down area and spent some time talking to the victims before heading back to Kota Kinabalu.
