Malaysia

The year-end rainy season resulted in torrential heavy downpours which caused parts of Eastern Malaysia to be flooded and homes submerged under more than a meter of water. Upon learning of the 30,000 people who were affected, with access roads to towns and longhouses in the jungles blocked, Master immediately sent US$20,000 to the local initiates to help relieve their plight.

Mr. Joseph Belayong, the District Officer and Chairman of the Disaster Relief Committee in Marudi, Sarawak, informed the initiates that the aboriginal settlements of different ethnic groups and a few others along the rivers were the most affected. The aborigines are jungle dwellers with no modern amenities and the flood had destroyed their rice fields and the little crops they had planted for their daily needs.

Thank you letters from the District Office and a village head

Upon arriving in Marudi on November 4, the initiates worked out a list of 13 settlements of longhouses occupied by about 4,500 people that needed help, with the assistance from the District Officer Mr. Belayong. The next day, they went to a wholesaler and purchased the required relief items such as rice, cooking oil, sugar and salt. Touched by Master's compassion, the wholesaler discounted the rice for them and  offered to help pack the items for delivery. He even offered his 4x4 Land Cruiser for an overland delivery to an Iban Muslim convert settlement on the same day.

The local newspapers Sin Chew Jit Poh, May Sin Jit Poh and Berita Iban covered the relief work carried out by our Association members.

On November 6 and 7, the initiates, accompanied by a senior officer from the District Office, traveled almost non-stop by rented boat to the riverbank settlements. They met with the village heads and the school headmasters who helped to distribute the relief items in an orderly manner. Women and children were so happy to receive the food that they posed for pictures with big smiles on their faces and kept thanking the initiates and Master for taking care of their needs. Some settlements requested a visit by Master and a village head instantly wrote a thank you note expressing his gratitude to Master.

With Master's guidance and blessings, the initiates were able to distribute all the items to the affected villages. SOS flyers and DVDs were also given out to schools and families. Learning that our organization was the first to reach the settlements, the initiates thanked Master for Her foresight and timely arrangements. They pray that more people will act to stop the climatic changes so that everyone will be able to live comfortably and peacefully on planet Earth.

Expenditures by Supreme Master Ching Hai
for the Flood Relief in Sarawak, Malaysia

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