Sunday February 4, 2007
Flood-hit village to be relocated to higher ground
BY MARSHA TAN and MD HANAFI HANAFIAH
KOTA TINGGI: Kampung Tembioh, one of the hardest hit villages in the recent floods, and other high-risk villages here will be relocated to higher ground.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Johor government would identify the other villages and residential areas that were prone to floods and submit a proposal to the Federal government for allocation.
“Besides this, many houses have also been destroyed or need major repairs.
“The Federal government will study the proposal and give the necessary aid needed.
“We also need to think of other ways to face the problem, so places like Kota Tinggi, Batu Pahat and Muar must have a programme or projects to prevent future floods,” he said.
“Kampung Tembioh will be moved to another location because of it is exposed to the high risk of flooding,” he added.
The state had not decided on the new location of Kampung Tembioh.
Najib, here on a working visit, handed out RM3.75mil in aid to some 7,500 families (RM500 each) at the Dewan Jubli Intan.
He said the Drainage and Irrigation Department had also been asked to identify the districts with drainage and irrigation problems and start flood mitigation projects immediately.
He said Syarikat Perumahan Negara would rebuild 91 houses in Johor that were totally destroyed in the floods.
He said existing funds would be used to bear part of the building cost so that the repayment rate for the house owner would be less than RM50 per month.
“The duration of the repayment period will be determined later,” he said, adding that commercial banks should not make things more complicated for businessmen in the loan process.
On the RM500 financial aid, Najib said all districts in Johor would receive the aid in the next few days, adding the aid would first be given to those who had evacuated to relief centres.
Chin Chin Keow, 45, of Taman Kuso said that she was happy to receive the RM500 as she would now be able to buy new furniture and repair her damaged home.
Lalitha Gangadharan, 32, said she would use the money to rent another house as she felt that Taman Kuso was no longer safe for her family.
Rohana Abdullah, 26 from Kampung Tembioh, said that she would use the money to pay outstanding utility bills and also her children’s kindergarten fees.
Meanwhile, 1,446 evacuees are still staying at seven relief centres in Batu Pahat.
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