Floods: Repair works for damaged village roads to be expedited, says Rural Development Minister

JELEBU: Repair work for various infrastructure, including village roads, bridges and public facilities under the Rural Development Ministry, which were badly damaged due to the recent floods will be expedited.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (pic) said part of the village roads and small bridges that connected between villages, and public facilities such as surau and damaged drains came under the ministry’s responsibility.

"There have been lots of damage in rural areas in Pahang, Kelantan, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.

"For example, in Jelebu, many places are damaged and we provide allocations at the ministry level to repair them.

"I am waiting for the full report from the Public Works Department at each state on the costs needed to repair road works," he told reporters after presenting flood donations at the UMNO Jelebu office in Simpang Pertang here on Tuesday (Dec 28).

The donations comprised 1,000 stoves, 500 blankets, and RM1,000 in cash for 368 flood victims at the Dewan D’sury relief centre here.

Earlier, Mahdzir inspected several badly damaged village routes in Kampung Renal and Kampung Kemin.

Also present was Jelebu MP and Deputy Federal Territories Minister, Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias.

Meanwhile, Jalaluddin said there were 24 bridges in the district that were badly damaged due to the floods, which needed to be repaired immediately.

Some 1,476 individuals from 36 villages in Jelebu were evacuated in the floods, he added. - Bernama