Helping ease their pain
Dpm: distribution of cash aid has started at PPS, will be given out in phases
With the flood situation worsening in several states, various forms of aid, including the government’s RM1,000 cash assistance and support from banks, are being mobilised to help victims. Additionally, insurance policies are offering some relief to those impacted.
The Federal Government has started distributing RM1,000 in Bantuan Wang Ihsan to heads of households (KIR) affected by floods nationwide since yesterday, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the National Disaster Management Committee chairman, said the aid distributed to each KIR who moved to a temporary evacuation centre (PPS) and in accordance with the conditions determined by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) will be distributed in phases.
“I hope that the distribution of assistance will be fully organised and we do not want any of the KIRS who moved to the PPS to be left out,” he told reporters after visiting the PPS at SMK Matang here yesterday, Bernama reported.
Ahmad Zahid said the Federal Government has also asked state governments affected by floods to also work on providing assistance and emergency funds to KIRS or victims who have suffered major losses, such as damage to their homes and household appliances.
He assured the people that the government has sufficient allocations to distribute the Bantuan Wang Ihsan to affected KIRS nationwide, which has now exceeded 30,000 KIRS.
In fact, he said, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the Finance Minister, will increase the amount for the cash assistance if the number of KIRS exceeds the allocation provided.
In the meantime, he said, the government is building 14 Permanent Disaster Evacuation Centres (PPKB) nationwide or one PPKB in each state for the convenience of flood victims.
“For Hulu Terengganu, we have received applications from local leaders (for the construction of PPKB) and we will consider it for the second phase.
“I have asked district officers to identify suitable areas for the construction of this PPKB.
“Allocations are already in place and the Prime Minister himself has given Nadma an overall allocation for next year’s budget of Rm600mil, which is Rm100mil more than this year’s allocation,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid said that following a sharp increase in the number of victims, the government has ordered all enforcement and security agencies to be on standby and organise the deployment of their teams as best as possible.
He said cooperation between the Federal Government and the state government regardless of political differences, such as the one that has developed now, is very important to safeguard the welfare of people who have been affected by the floods.
Earlier, Ahmad Zahid spent about 30 minutes comforting flood victims at SMK Matang here, which consists of 275 victims from 130 families.
In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister also spent time visiting flood victims at SK Nibong here, which houses 265 victims from 91 families.