50,000 volunteers to assist cleaning up flood-hit states

KAMPUNG GAJAH: About 50,000 volunteers are being mobilised to assist in the cleaning up process in the flood-hit states.
Defence minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Husssein said that besides the volunteers, about 5,000 armed forces personnel have also gone to the ground to assist house owners.
He was speaking to reporters after attending a briefing on the flood situation in Perak Tengah district at Junior Mara Science College in Kampung Gajah here today.
He said the government hopes that the army reserves and National Service trainees will also assist in the cleaning up process.
"It will be a good exposure for the NS trainees to be involved in assisting flood victims," he added.
He also said a total 529 tonnes of necessities have been distributed to the victims to date.
Hishammuddin also said in addition to the main distribution centre in Subang, three more smaller flood aid distribution centres would be opened in Tambun, Perak, Batu Berendam, Malacca and Alor Star, Kedah to ensure there is a smooth flow of aid distribution.
"There are many people who want to donate but it is inconvenient for them to travel all the way to Subang to make their contributions."
The exact location of the new centres would be announced later.
On another note, Hishammuddin said some 20,500 ex servicemen and war veterans have also been affected by the floods.
About 16,000 of them are from Kelantan while the rest are in Terengganu and Perak.
He added that government had approved an additional RM10 million to assist families of war veterans and ex servicemen.
Each family would receive RM500.
A sum of RM6.9 million had been allocated earlier for them to repair and rebuild houses.