PENAMPANG, The Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Cooperatives Development (Kuskop) distributed cash aid of RM650,200 to students and traders who were badly affected by the recent floods in Penampang. Its minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said of the sum, RM497,700 was channelled to 19 primary and secondary schools involving 1,659 recipients. "Meanwhile, RM152,500 was channelled to 268 traders from the Penampang Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Association, the Donggongon Guest Traders Association and the Penampang National Tekun Entrepreneurs," he said in a media statement here today. Ewon said financial assistance of RM300 was given to each student who was categorised as 'severely affected' such as missing uniforms, shoes and stationery. He said the assistance was channelled through agencies under Kuskop, namely SME Corp, SME Bank, National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun), Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (Pernas), Bank Rakyat, Co-op Bank Pertama, Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Berhad (Angkasa) and Yayasan Bank Rakyat (YBR). Ewon said SME Bank delivered assistance of RM74,100 to four schools, while Angkasa contributed RM50,000 to SMK Bahang. Tekun Nasional presented RM35,100 to SM St Joseph Penampang, Pernas (RM50,100) to SMK Limbanak, Bank Rakyat (RM92,400) to Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kibabaig, Coop Bank Pertama (RM15,000) to SJK Yue Min and SK Kipovo. Yayasan Bank Rakyat and the Penampang Member of Parliament's service centre contributed RM109,600 to eight schools. SME Corp helped 30 members of the Penampang Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Association with RM15,000 and rolled out aid of RM98,500 to 197 members of the Donggongon Guest Traders Association. Tekun Nasional and SME Corp assisted 41 traders with a total of RM39,000. Source: BERNAMA News Agency