PM orders immediate aid for Baling flood victims

Immediate task: A Works Department employee sawing away the logs which also destroyed a bridge in Kampung Iboi, Kupang, after heavy rain and floods.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Government is giving immediate aid totalling RM500,000 for the flood victims in Baling, Kedah, the Prime Minister has announced.

Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is in Turkiye for a four-day official visit, said this early aid was for the head of every household affected by the floods, comprising compassionate payment of RM1,000; basic necessities aid of RM2,500; electrical appliances aid of RM500 and for house repairs.

He said he has sent his political secretary, Datuk Mohammad Anuar Mohd Yunus, to the scene on his behalf.

The initial assistance has been channelled to more than 100 families at several relief centres (PPS) here, Mohammad Anuar said after visiting a relief centre at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jerai.

Ismail Sabri, in a Facebook post, said he was following the flood developments closely.

“My heartfelt condolences to those who just lost their loved ones.

“Let us recite Al-Fatihah and pray that their souls will be placed among the pious and the righteous,” he said yesterday.

Ismail Sabri has also instructed all agencies such as the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) and KPLB to go down to the ground to observe the situation.

The floods have caused hundreds of residents to be evacuated to several temporary shelters.

Meanwhile, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said temporary accommodation would be provided to the victims whose houses were destroyed by the floods in Kupang.

“A total of 627 flood victims from 12 villages were affected.

“Nine houses were completely washed away, five badly damaged while the rest were flooded and their property damaged,” he told the media at the command post in Kampung Iboi.

He noted that the construction of new houses on the original site was unsafe as the previously deep river had become shallow and water could overflow.

“Replacement houses will be built if they have a safer site.”

Muhammad Sanusi said government agencies were also assessing physical damage to infrastructure due to the floods.

“Among those identified so far is the bridge that connects Kampung Iboi with Kampung Bendang Bechah where it had been destroyed and many roads were also damaged,” he said.

Muhammad Sanusi said two catchment areas – one built by durian growers to irrigate crops and another constructed by the villagers for community water supply – were still on Gunung Inas.

“This means the water accumulated from the streams in Gunung Inas and then gushed down as a water head, which is similar to what happened in Gunung Jerai last year,” he added.