Photo: Bernama
PETALING JAYA: Two of Kemaman water surge victims are entitled to the Social Security Organisation (Socso) benefits, says Socso.
The organisation said that the victims who perished in the tragedy would receive the benefits under the Invalidity Scheme (Skim Keilatan) – a coverage to employees who suffered from invalidity or death due to any cause and not related to his employment.
Under the scheme, the next-of-kins of Karim Abdullah, 39 and Muhammad Fiqri Sulaiman, 24 would receive one-off funeral management assistance of RM2,000.
"The contribution by Karim, who previously served as a heavy machinery operator at a logging company, qualifies his next-of-kin to receive Penakat Pension benefits.
"However, since his wife and all his children were killed in the same incident and his parents have also passed away, there are no eligible next-of-kin for the Penakat Pension," Socso said in a statement on Saturday (July 8).
Socso, through its chapter in Kemaman, Terengganu, had immediately obtained the information of the victims involved in the tragedy following the search and rescue (SAR) effort on the second day.
"Socso will obtain details of the next of kin as soon as possible in order to complete the payment of funeral benefits," it added.
Last Saturday (July 1), 10 individuals, including a family of nine, who had gone on a picnic at the Air Putih waterfall, were swept away by a water surge. Nine bodies have been found so far.
The search for the last victim, Putri Nor Fatin Karim, 14, continues as of press time.
The bodies of nine victims who have been identified including Karim and Muhammad Fiqri had been laid to rest.
