The Metro tabloid on October 24, 2008, reported a hostel ravaged by fire causing 2 fatalities, children of the age of 4 and 6. The hostel, apart from housing 51 orphans, was also the shelter for 9 low-income families, including a single mother with 9 children.
Late Monday afternoon, several representatives of Kelab Kami Prihatin, accompanied YB Doctor Lo'lo' who, as the Chairman of the Lajnah Kebajikan dan Kemasyarakatan PAS Pusat, visited the scene in hope of meeting the orphans and the families involved. The group was met by an Ustaz Riduan, the manager of another hostel nearby, and was informed that while the orphans are temporarily placed in a home in Rawang, the families mentioned above are given shelter in his hostel for the time being. The YB Doctor and the group were then brought into the ruins of the hostel building and were told of the horrible incident of the night.
In the confusion that surely must have taken place that night, the 2 children are believed to be on one of the upper floors of the 4storey wooden building. The fire (causes of which are still unknown), swept through the building where the upper floors soon collapsed. Along with the thick smoke which was asphyxiating, the residents fled the building. It was only then when the father realised that his son was trapped in the building. Though he tried to rush back into the building in a bid to save his son, the fire and smoke stopped him. We were then told of the heart-wrenching part where the father could not do anything but watched his son engulfed by the flames.
The YB Doctor was then taken to a site a few lots away where stood several metal cabins and perhaps, an unused public hall but one which had no walls, only cemented floor and a roof. These, would most probably be the stay for the families as well as the orphans for a long duration, until a permanent housing can be found. Even then, there is a just need to provide air-condition for the metal cabins which otherwise without, would be like living in an oven with the hot sun above. The YB Doctor will try to seek the assistance of the local authorities, DBKL, to provide financial aid towards this, and at the same time, several units of the PPR which all local authorities normally reserve for emergency use.Kelab Kami Prihatin, would like to make an appeal to kind-hearted Malaysians to provide financial and in-kind aid to the families and orphans above. The contact persons telephone number for KKP as well as the account number is as below. Whether monetary aid or in-kind, please do inform the ladies. May Allah s.w.t. bless and reward you for your generousity.
Kami Prihatin, Bank Islam: 12113010026150 (see top left panel).
Raja Rozita (Treasurer) 019 357 5057
Siti Aishah: 019 343 6804
