Following the Kampung Ayer fire incident which happened on Saturday afternoon last week, five family-heads from Kampong Limbongan and Kampong Ujung Bukit were presented with financial aids by the Community Development Department, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation (YSHHB) and the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) yesterday.

The donation totalling $77,900, of which $11,400 was contributed by MoRA, $40,200 by the YSHHB and $26,300 by MCYS and were distributed to 59 individuals from the five affected houses in Kampung Ayer; of which three were completely damaged and two partially damaged, as well as two from previous fire tragedy in Kampong Rimba and Jalan Terunjing Lama, Berakas.

According to one of the recipients, a 62-year-old Hajah Ranit binti Haji Metali, everything, including all important documents, her identity card and citizenship certificate were lost in the fire. One of her daughters, Azelinawati binti Haji Metussin, told the Bulletin that the family of 17 is currently staying at her brother’s three-bedroom flat in Kg Kiarong.

Another beneficiary, Hajah Timah binti Md Daud, 70, whose home housed 14 family members, said the incident happened not long after the children came home from religious school. “We only notice the blazing fire when the heat was blowing in our faces. Together with the children, who just arrived from school and were in their towels after a shower, we immediately ran out of the house,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mariyana binti Haji Salleh, 35, were with her four children when the incident happened. Mariyana and her husband are both unemployed and the family of six is currently sheltered at her father’s home with 13 other family members. Her father, Haji Salleh bin Haji Larai lived right next to Mariyana and also received a section of the donation for his partially burnt house.

On hand to present the donation were the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hazair bin Haji Abdullah; Managing Director of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Ali Hashim bin Haji Daud; and Secretary of MUIB, Haji Abdul Wahab bin Haji Sapar.

Also present were Datin Paduka Hajah Adina binti Haji Othman, the Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports; Dato Paduka Awang Haji Mohd Hamid bin Haji Mohd Jaafar, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports; Dayang Hajah Norsham binti Haji Yahya, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary and Dayang Hajah Misnah binti Haji Bolhassan, Acting Director of Community Development, as well as other heads of department at the ministry.