This followed his visit to the temporary relief centre that houses 136 victims of the landslide that occurred in the wee hours of Monday morning.
“I’m visiting these victims as I really sympathise with the residents of Kampung Sungai Penchala,” he said during his visit to the relief centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Penchala.
On the recent floods and landslides, he hoped all parties, including individuals, companies, non-governmental organisations and agencies, would help the affected residents as best as they can.
“I am very sad but we must accept this test from Allah and be patient,” he said.
He arrived at the school at 2.10pm today.
The King also gave cash contributions to all families affected by the landslide during his visit.
Also accompanying him was federal territories minister Shahidan Kassim.
Shahidan said residents whose houses were completely destroyed in the landslide would be temporarily placed at flats for two to three years until they could rebuild their homes or buy new houses.
A total of 94 houses were affected by the landslide, with 24 of them destroyed and the rest considered to be in a “risky” state.
A total of 284 people were affected, with 136 (from 43 families) staying at the temporary relief centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Penchala.
The remaining 148 are staying outside the centre, with families or at temporary residences.
One of the victims staying at the centre, Norazwani Mohd Jamin, 36, said the landslide took place in a blink of an eye when she and her mother were alone at home.
Before she knew it, both of them had been buried by the landslide. She was rescued by neighbours while her mother was saved by firemen sent to the area.
“We could not save anything. I don’t know what will happen after this. Maybe we can rebuild our home again.”
Another victim who lost her home, Saripah Saman, 55, said her warung (stall) there had also been damaged.
“No one can now enter the area and so my business is also affected,“ said Saripah, who lost her husband to cancer in 2019.