Wan Junaidi: Look into law enforcement, not RCI for Baling floods

KUCHING: There is no need to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate the floods and water surge phenomenon that hit Baling, Kedah, said Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

Instead, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) noted that what was more important was to look at the existing aspects of law enforcement.

“The question here is how could this happen? Where are the forestry officers and enforcers from the relevant authorities?” he said.

Wan Junaidi explained that the RCI’s role is only to submit proposals for government considerations.

“The RCI does not have the power to arrest (the offenders) but only make recommendations to the government.

“Their investigation will usually take six to seven months before tabling a report to the Parliament.

“And then, the report will return to the Cabinet ministers to choose which proposals they want to implement,” he told Bernama at the symbolic presentation of cows for the Aidiladha sacrificial slaughter for the Santubong parliamentary constituency here yesterday.

The flood that hit Baling on Monday has claimed three lives and left more than 1,400 residents homeless.

Meanwhile in Tanjung Karang, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar announced that small and medium (SME) entrepreneurs affected by the Baling floods could apply for a maximum loan of RM100,000 and a one-year moratorium to help restart their business.

He said the ministry was in the midst of identifying micro businessmen, SMEs and entrepreneurs who have been affected by the disaster.

“Affected informal and micro entrepreneurs could receive the Keluarga Malaysia Flood Aid (BBKM) of RM3,000.

“Insya-Allah, I will visit the victims on July 14 and present the BBKM aid,” he told reporters after handing over the Bantuan Wang Ihsan (BWI) compassionate aid to 224 recipients who were victims of a storm that hit the area last May.