KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) says 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 on Thursday (Feb 16).
He was replying to a supplementary question from Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang) 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 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 (the allocation) yet; we will monitor. We have issued an order on this because we have identifed the families concerned and the flood-prone areas for ‘parking’ the allocations in these places,” he added.
Ahmad Zahid said the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) had 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 Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali (BN-Pekan) on the coordination done by the government to ensure no flood victims were left out of the flood aid scheme, Ahmad Zahid said the government could no longer afford to work in silos.
He said the government through Nadma always ensured that aid would reach flood victims as quickly as possible regardless of which state administration they were under.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also 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
