Penang BN tables emergency motion over severe floods

GEORGE TOWN: The state Barisan Nasional (BN) yesterday tabled an emergency motion on the severe floods that hit Penang at the State Legislative Assembly sitting today.

The motion tabled by Pulau Betong state assemblyman Datuk Dr Muhamad Farid Saad was about cash assistance for the flood victims.

“The assembly today immediately approved special assistance of RM2,000 to each household of flood victims and a sum of compensation deemed fit to be given out to schools, mosques, and other places of worship that are affected by the flood.

“This special compensation payment will be taken out from the Penang Consolidated Revenue Fund,” said Muhammad Farid adding that the motion was tabled without being debated as only the state government could make the final decision.

He said the RM2,000 assistance was more than just the RM400 aid announced by the state government last September.

“I do not intend for the motion to be debated. Too many properties are damaged that put enormous burden on the poor. So I hope the state government can take this into consideration and I urge this assistance to be expedited and given directly to flood victims without any conditions that are politically motivated,“he said.

Muhamad Farid also requested that the aid be channeled directly to flood victims without them needing to fill in the Pakatan Harapan membership form.

Meanwhile, earlier, the DAPled Penang state government also tabled an urgent motion over the severe floods that hit the state on Saturday and Sunday.

Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow, who is also Padang Kota state assemblyman, when tabling the emergency motion said the assembly expressed its condolences to the families of the flood victims who died in the flood caused by the storm and heavy rain that hit the state.

“This assembly expresses our concern to all families and individuals who have suffered losses and damage to property due to the storm and heavy rain,” he said when tabling an emergency motion under Rule 30 of the legislature rules here yesterday.