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Some more info about the impact of the tsunami on Kota Kuala Muda 9 deaths 1042 houses damaged 685 houses very badly damaged 80 houses completely destroyed 309 fishing boats badly damaged > 600 motorcycles badly damaged 173 cars damaged 860 school children affected All victims are now placed in a temporary shelter, mostly schools. They will have to move out from the temporary shelters by 16 January 2005. Even though there are 1042 damaged houses, the government is only building 150 temporary replacement houses in the form of rumah panjang. And the compensation that they get, if they get any, is miniscule compared to the costs of rebuilding their lives. The big questions are: 1. where will the other 942 house-owners go to on 16 January 2005? 2. How will the families support the 860 children who need to go to school? If we just look at the housing needs, apparently Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) will build Rumah Mesra Rakyat (whatever that means) for the victims. Victims will have to pay a maximum of RM33,334 to purchase the houses under an interest free loan arrangement. Some houses will be cheaper.

The tsunami fund organised by the NST & co raised a total of Rm24.51 million. That is just one fund and only up to today. There are several other funds too and the collections are on-going. They are bound to raise more money.

The builders can draw from this one fund and immediately they can build more than 700 houses without the need to force the victims to pay any money at all. Money collected by other parties can then be used for other purposes, or to build more houses. This is perhaps too simplistic but at least the rough idea is there. Let us see if what happens is anywhere near this idealised situation.