11.   Meanwhile, Powell praised Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni for his decision to begin withdrawing troops from Congo and announced new food assistance to drought victims in northern Sudan.

12.   The government has already distributed relief food supplies to drought victims in the sugar belt.

13.   The New Straits Times visited drought victims in Matunggong along with the Salvation Army and KFC Holdings Sdn Bhd.

14.   The regional government called on international donors to provide trucks for carrying water and generators for pumps to make water available to drought victims.

15.   Villages in the Kota Belud district in the West Coast and some villages in the Kinabatangan district in the Sandakan division also record a high number of drought victims.

16.   Yong, who is State Disaster Relief and Management Committee director, said the Welfare Department would start collecting food and other essential items beginning Thursday for drought victims.