100,000 households to get RM500 each

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government announced a RM100 million allocation, parked under its “Pulau Pinang Bangkit” programme, to help flood victims.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who announced this at the state assembly sitting yesterday, said the allocation would be used for a one-off RM500 payment to each of the 100,000 households affected by the floods on Nov 4 and 5. This involves a total payout of RM50 million.

He did not reveal the procedures to claim the aid, but said victims would not need to lodge a police report as proof for the claim.

“We hope to distribute the aid by the end of the year,” he said.

State opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid reminded Lim to be fair in distributing the aid.

On the remaining RM50 million of the funds, the state government will channel RM40 million to the Penang Island City and Seberang Prai Municipal councils so that the local authorities could give a 10 per cent discount in assessment rates. Damaged or missing land grants would also be replaced for free.

Another RM10 million will go to the Penang Water Supply Corporation, of which Lim is chairman.

The state agency in turn will give a 50 per cent discount on billing for domestic users and 25 per cent for commercial users for one cycle (about two months).

It will also exempt water conservation surcharge for domestic users.