GUA MUSANG: It was truly a blessing from the sky for the flood-stricken orang asli of the Temiar tribe in the jungle of Kuala Betis when they saw a helicopter hovering above their village.
The helicopter carried a group of volunteers including doctors and items donated by theSunCares Fund which comprised 20 Singer water purifiers worth RM6,000 to facilitate clean drinking water for the villagers in addition to Milo packets, milk powder and diapers.
The team of 12 doctors and assistants, who dubbed themselves as the “Flying Medics”, were assembled under a flood relief programme organised by the United Sikhs.
United Sikhs coordinator Rishiwant Singh said the two-day mission was important as many of the orang asli were not in prime health as they were badly affected by the extraordinary flood hitting the area last December and were deprived of clean drinking water and food.
Many of the settlements were completely cut off to land transportation due to heavy rain which caused landslides resulting in the villagers not being able to go outside.
“We had to use a helicopter to go to these areas and provide them with medical assistance and distribute the items donated by theSun,” he said.
Most of the orang asli were found suffering from rashes, diarrhoea, severe cough and water-borne diseases.
The volunteers and doctors covered eight orang asli locations today which had some 1,500 orang asli.
Rishiwant said the first ever flying medic mission was made in collaboration with orang asli NGOs.
“We need more than RM100,000 to support the whole mission and we hope for more contributions to come in,” he said.
Besides medical assistance, the mission also saw the distribution of food and daily necessities to the orang asli.
A check by theSun found that most of the orang asli settlements were badly affected by the flood, with many residents living in a makeshift tent.
An orang asli from Kampung Jias A, Claus Che Min, 24, who recounted the disaster said he was shocked when the water rose to the level of his house within a short span of time rendering him and his family to seek shelter on higher grounds together with others in the settlement.
The doctors and volunteers will return from their two-day mission tomorrow.
Source: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1297717