MARA students affected by Iowa fire to receive RM7,000 each

KUALA LUMPUR: Six Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) sponsored students who were affected by a fire that razed the South Meadow Apartments, Ames, Iowa on Sunday will receive RM7,000 each.

MARA director general Datuk Ibrahim Ahmad said the special allocation was to assist the students who lost their belongings in the fire, to essential items like computers, winter clothing etc.

"Assistance to three students who are currently on holiday here will receive the money directly while three others who are in the United States will receive their allocation through the MARA office in Washington," he said in a statement here Wedneday.

Ibrahim said the management of the apartment in Iowa had also given their commitment to handle their accomodation at a new location as per the terms and conditions in the tenancy agreement signed by the students.

"The MARA office in the United States has also received commitment from the Dean of Students Affairs, Iowa State University to handle the summer courses, counselling and library books that were destroyed in the fire," he said.

Nearly 100 people, including 17 Malaysian students living in the 56-unit apartment building, lost their homes when it was destroyed in a fire, early Sunday morning.

During the incident, three Malaysian students, all second year engineering studies students at the Iowa State University, managed to escape from the fire with only their wallets and mobile phones.

Fourteen other students living in the apartment were either back home (Malaysia) for the holidays or touring in the US. - Bernama