KUALA LANGAT: Entrepreneurs or other borrowers of funds from Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) who are affected by the floods that have hit several states in the country may visit any of the agency's offices to reschedule the payments.

       Mara director-general Datuk Azhar Abdul Manaf said the facility was extended to those who had taken education and business loans, as well as those who wished to apply for rent exemptions for their business premises.

       He said victims affected in locations that were not directly known by Mara, such as education loan borrowers, could submit their applications to Mara either at the state level or to its headquarters.

       "But for those who are in locations that we know are affected, our officers will head to them directly," he told reporters when met at a gotong-royong programme to clean the houses of residents in Kampung Rancangan Tanah Belia (RTB) Bukit Changgang here.

       Meanwhile, Azhar said about 1,000 volunteers under the Mara community, including students and staff of the agency, had been mobilised since last week to help and clean-up the houses of flood victims in Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Pahang.

       He said among the assistance provided were cleaning work, home wiring services, inspections, and minor repairs of electrical appliances free of charge.

       He said Mara would send students and teachers of the Mara Skills Institute (IKM) and GIATMARA to places that required the necessary assistance.

       "We have already provided the repairing of electrical goods service in Padang Jawa, Shah Alam since last week, as well as in Taman Sri Nanding, Hulu Langat. However, we can repair the equipment with minimal damage only,” he said.

       Meanwhile, villager Muhamad Shauji Hussin, 71, expressed gratitude to volunteers from Mara who came to clean his house.

       He said the floods that occurred on the night of Dec 17 had almost submerged his house, and destroyed the furniture and electrical appliances.

       "Alhamdulillah. Thank you so much (to the volunteers) for coming to help. They came and cleaned-up my entire house. I need not do anything.