KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has given an assurance that he will monitor the distribution of wang ihsan (cash aid) to ensure it reaches flood victims in a timely manner.
“Our promise is that they (flood victims at relief centres) should get it (cash aid) before returning home,” he said during Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Ahmad Zahid was replying to a supplementary question from Rantau Panjang MP Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff, on the status of pump installation in the Rantau Panjang constituency to check floods and the extension of wang ihsan to flood victims which she claimed had been delayed.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, said there was coordination with the district disaster management committees on the distribution of this aid.
“Maybe they have not received it (allocation) yet; we will monitor. We have issued an order on this because we have identified the families concerned and the flood-prone areas for ‘parking’ the allocations in these places,” he added.
The National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) extended aid of RM68 million each to Kelantan and Terengganu.
On the installation of a high-powered pump for draining stagnant floodwaters in Kelantan, Ahmad Zahid said the allocation had been approved and it was in the process of being purchased by the Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS).
To the original question from Pekan MP Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali on the coordination done by the government to ensure no flood victims were left out of the flood aid scheme, he said the government could no longer afford to work in silos.
Via Nadma, the government has always ensured aid will reach flood victims as quickly as possible regardless of which state administration they were under.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the National Disaster Management Committee chairman, said the committee had identified schools in flood-prone areas for building permanent halls for use as relief centres.
— Bernama
