Rotary Clubs Pearl and KK Mandarin lead second round of flood relief for Pitas families

PITAS (March 3): The Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu Pearl and the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu Mandarin jointly led the second round of food aid distribution to 772 families from 14 villages affected by the February 19 floods in Pitas.

The distribution was conducted at Dewan Gapari, Kampung Rukom, at 9:00 am on March 2, following the first round of assistance carried out on February 24.

A total of 772 bags of rice were distributed to village representatives for delivery to their respective communities.

The Community Service team was led by Past President Datuk Suzannah Liaw. Rotarian Mary Chung coordinated with George Gideon, representing the flood-affected residents, to verify the list of villages and families requiring assistance. She also arranged for the collection of rice from the supplier and personally transported the supplies to Dewan Gapari using her own lorry.

Village representatives arrived as early as 6:30 am to unload the rice in preparation for distribution. Following the handover at 9:00 am, the representatives transported the supplies to their villages using their own vehicles.

Liaw shared that beyond the logistics, the emotional impact of the disaster was deeply felt.

“It was truly disheartening to hear the stories of how the floods destroyed so much of the villagers’ belongings, including their food supplies,” she said. “One lady told us they had previously received food aid from the government, but when the floodwaters rose, all their provisions were swept away. The water level reached the roof of their house. They could only save themselves — nothing else.”

Her account highlights the urgency of continued support, as many families are rebuilding from total loss.

Access to Kampung Gunsali remained a challenge after the Taradas Bridge was damaged and rendered inaccessible by car. In response, 12 motorcycles were mobilised to transport 41 bags of rice across the affected route, ensuring the village received its allocation.

The determination shown by volunteers and villagers underscored the strong community spirit and commitment to equitable distribution despite logistical constraints.

The food aid initiative was further supported by contributions from Focus Lumber Berhad.

Both Rotary Clubs reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing disaster response efforts and expressed appreciation to all partners, volunteers and village leaders who ensured the successful implementation of the mission.