KUALA LUMPUR: The government will maintain the method of providing assistance directly to flood victims through relevant agencies rather than via elected representatives, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid who is also the National Disaster Management Committee chairman, said assistance had been provided equally by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister’s Department and other agencies.
“The Social Welfare Department (JKM) and various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also provided assistance.
“God willing, their presence (flood relief agencies) at the flood site, especially at the temporary relief centres (PPS), has sufficiently eased the anger (of flood victims) when they saw that no elected representatives had come down to the ground,“ he told Bernama after being interviewed on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme yesterday.
Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim at a press conference in Parliament today, urged the government to consider an immediate allocation of RM1 million to opposition MPs whose areas were affected by the floods to be channelled to the victims involved.
Apart from that, Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal requested that the government allow financial assistance to be channeled directly to elected representatives in flood-affected areas to avoid delays in receiving assistance by the victims.
“We ask state assemblymen and members of Parliament to come down to help them with methods they know best because they must care for their respective voters,“ said Ahmad Zahid.
Earlier, during an interview titled ‘Two Years of MADANI with Zahid Hamidi’, he said the government adhered to the concept of ‘colour blindness’ in providing assistance to flood victims regardless of area.
He said the federal and state governments should work together in this regard for the welfare of all affected people.
“We may have different opinions but I hope this matter is understood by all so that the interests of the people are given priority,“ he said, adding that all states, regardless of the ruling party, should align with the MADANI Government.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the government is currently at the highest level of preparation to face the second wave of floods which is expected to occur from Dec 8 to 14 due to the monsoon.
He said this includes identifying 8,481 PPS which can accommodate more than 2.1 million flood victims at any one time, in addition to the involvement of 82,000 staff from various agencies in coordinating aid.
“We are not expecting anything bad but it is better than being hit and then recovering,“ he said, adding that the first wave of floods has passed.
