Penang seeks federal aid for flood victims

GEORGE TOWN: The state government is pleading to the Federal Government for aid to help flood victims in Penang.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the government did not receive any aid from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak after his visit to the state last week.

“Although we informed him on the need for flood mitigation projects here amounting to RM1bil, there is still no announcement from him.

“His announcement on the RM150mil allocation for flood mitigation project was approved last year.

“He did not mention any aid for flood victims, in terms of approval of flood mitigation projects or direct aid to the flood victims.

“We hope he will make further announcement soon. We are still waiting,” he said on the sidelines of the state assembly meeting yesterday.

Lim said the state government has announced a RM100mil Penang Bounce Back flood relief programme and believed the Federal Government would approve a bigger amount to help the flood victims in Penang.

Among the measures announced was a RM500 one-off payment to each household and business operator affected by probably the worst floods in the history of Penang.

The payment is expected to cost the state government RM50mil.

Besides the one-off payment, both the Penang Island City Council and Seberang Prai Municipal Council would give a 10% discount in assessment rates next year. The discount will cost the local authorities RM40mil.

The Penang Water Supply Corporation Sdn Bhd has also agreed to give a 50% discount on water bills for domestic users and 25% to commercial users in view of the huge amount of water used in the clean-up process.

The water conservation surcharge for domestic users will also be waived.

The discount for one cycle (two months for domestic users and one month for commercial users) will cost RM10mil.

Opposition Leader Datuk Jahara Hamid said the state government was living in denial for ignoring the fact that the Federal Government had been assisting the victims since the floods struck Penang last week.

She said a number of trailers filled with food, clothing and mattresses had been coming into the state over the past week.

“Funding as well as people from as far as Johor Baru had come to the state to help with the cleanup as well.

“This is their politics, they are in denial about all the assistance given by the Federal Government,” she told a press conference outside the state assembly hall.