PUTRAJAYA: The New Year’s eve celebration in Dataran Merdeka has been called off.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the decision was due to the country facing floods currently and other issues.
“In fact, there will be other announcements on ensuring how government machinery can assist in business applications, which have to be faster and more efficient,” he told reporters after the Cabinet meeting yesterday.
He said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who had already been to Kelantan and Terengganu, had briefed the Cabinet on the situation during yesterday’s meeting.
Later in Pasir Mas, Anwar announced an immediate aid of RM50mil each for Kelantan and Terengganu to help those affected by the floods.
“Prior to this, the deputy prime minister (Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) had already announced RM12mil for Kelantan during his recent visit to the state.
“We hope that this RM50mil allocation will benefit the people of both states along with the RM1,000 and RM10,000 given to flood victims,” he said after visiting evacuees at the SMK Tengku Panglima Raja flood relief centre yesterday.
He was quoted as saying by Bernama that the Drainage and Irrigation Department must submit a report on the Integrated River Basin Development Project (PLSB) in Sungai Golok to the Finance Ministry before the start of the tender process.
He also gave the government’s assurance that the Phase 1 and 2 of Sungai Golok PLSB project in Kelantan would be expedited without excessive costs.
Anwar was accompanied on his visit by Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob, Pasir Mas district officer Hazmi Abdul Hamid and Kelantan police chief Datuk Muhamad Zaki Harun.
Bernama reported that the flood situation in Terengganu, Pahang and Perak had improved with the number of victims taking shelter falling.
The Terengganu Disaster Management Committee secretariat said the number of victims dropped to 38,574 people compared to 40,456 victims earlier yesterday.
However, the number of flood victims in Kelantan increased slightly to 31,584 compared to 31,487 people in the morning.
