SANDAKAN, 23 APRIL 2026 – The Sandakan community has begun the difficult road to recovery following a devastating fire that swept through the Kampung Bahagia floating village on Sunday, destroying an estimated 1,000 homes and leaving hundreds of families in urgent need of assistance.
In the aftermath, affected residents have been relocated to several Temporary Relocation Centre(PPS), as authorities continue to assess the full scale of the damage.
Upon learning of the incident on Sunday, McDonald’s Malaysia’s Sandakan teams mobilised quickly to prepare and distribute nearly 2,000 meals and beverages to affected families, frontliners and volunteers on the ground.
Building on this initial response, further assistance is ongoing, with the Sandakan teams set to distribute an additional 4,000 meals across five PPS through to the end of the week, ensuring continued support for those impacted.
In total, McDonald’s aims to provide more than 6,000 meals to the affected community as part of its efforts to help ease the burden during this difficult time.
“During times like this, what matters most is that communities come together and ensure no one is left to face the situation alone.
The response we’ve seen across Sandakan reflects that shared responsibility, and we hope these collective efforts bring some comfort to those affected,” said Dato’ Haji Azmir Jaafar, Managing Director and Local Operating Partner of McDonald’s Malaysia.
Alongside these efforts, a broader collective response continues to take shape across Sandakan. Local authorities, volunteers, and community groups have mobilised to provide urgent support, with efforts focused on ensuring access to food, shelter, and necessities for displaced families.
Agencies including the Department of Social Welfare, the Royal Malaysia Police, Fire and Rescue Department, RELA, and volunteers remain actively involved in coordinating relief on the ground.
McDonald’s immediate response to this incident reflects a broader, long-standing commitment to community outreach, which forms a core pillar of its role as a local member of the communities it serves.
Through Program Komuniti @ McDonald’s, the company carries out more than 10,000 community-focused activities each year across its restaurants nationwide. This includes initiatives such as food sponsorship during disaster relief, moreh meals during Ramadan, alongside wider efforts such as zakat contributions and initiatives like Program Santun Pelajar, which aims to provide up to 1 million meals to students in need by the end of the year.
“At McDonald’s Malaysia, our purpose is to feed and foster the communities we serve. Whether in times of celebration or difficulty, we remain committed to supporting those around us in meaningful ways,” Dato’ Azmir added.
