The families of 28 out of the 54 victims of the Nepal-Tibet flood tragedy on August 26 are eligible to receive a total of RM174,000 in benefits from the Social Security Organisation (Socso).
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said the eligible next-of-kin would receive an immediate financial assistance payment of RM3,000, along with a Survivors’ Pension under Socso’s Invalidity Scheme.
He said the payments had been disbursed to the families of the eligible victims.
“Today, 16 families out of the 28 eligible families are present. I understand that these families continue to face uncertainty over the fate of their loved ones.
“I am well aware that no form of assistance can truly ease such deep anxiety,” he said.
Ramanan added that the government did not want families, particularly those who had lost their main breadwinners, to face the financial burden alone.
He said the Human Resources Ministry (Kesuma), through Socso, had worked to ensure eligible next-of-kin received the protection and assistance they were entitled to.
He was speaking at a press conference on the distribution of Socso benefits to the Nepal flood victims at Menara PERKESO in Kuala Lumpur today.
Also present were Socso board chairman Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal and Socso group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed.
Ramanan said Socso had carried out a comprehensive review to ensure that no eligible family was left out of the assistance.
He added that pension payments would be processed once all the necessary information and documents had been submitted.
For victims without a record of Socso contributions, he said the organisation remained concerned about their families’ circumstances.
Through its Social Synergy Programme, Socso would also connect affected families with 990 strategic partners, including 130 agencies nationwide, to identify other forms of assistance that could help ease their financial burden.
