European Union brings relief to the victims of floods in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 6 January 2022 – In response to severe flooding that submerged large parts of Malaysia, the European Union is providing €100,000 (over 470,000 Malaysian ringgit) in humanitarian aid funding to assist the most affected communities. The aid will benefit over 11,000 people in some of the hardest hit localities in the states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor as well as the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

The EU funding supports the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) in delivering aid to the most vulnerable communities through the distribution of cash transfers. This will allow flood-stricken families to address their immediate basic needs in the aftermath of the floods. Hygiene kits will be provided to ensure access to clean water and good hygiene practices. In addition, necessary measures will be in place to minimise the transmission of the COVID-19 virus during the operation.

The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Malaysia has since mid-December 2021 seen a series of heavy downpours that triggered widespread flooding in several areas across eight out of the country’s 13 states. Considered the worst flooding to hit the country in recent years, the floodwaters have so far left 50 people killed and thousands affected while also causing severe damage to facilities and infrastructure. Over 14,093 people are still currently sheltered in evacuation centres in the states of Johor, Pahang, Sabah, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Terengganu. Further spread of COVID-19 remains a concern after cases have been detected in flood-affected communities.

Background

The European Union together with its Member States is the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and human-made crises.

Through its European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the European Union helps over 120 million victims of conflicts and disasters every year. For more information, please visit ECHO's website.

The European Commission has signed a €3 million humanitarian contribution agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.

The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund was established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The contribution agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit in with its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €3 million.

For further information, please contact:

Peter Biro, Regional Information Officer for Asia and the Pacific, European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO): peter.biro@echofield.eu