KUALA LUMPUR: The government is monitoring the distribution of aid to flood victims in Baling, Kedah, to ensure no delays, especially in efforts to restore affected houses.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said priority would be given to repairing damaged houses or building new ones.
He noted that the floods happened on July 4 afternoon and that the very next morning, the government announced cash aid for the victims.
He also stressed the importance of speeding up repair work on their homes.
“Places of accommodation are the most important, apart from cash aid,” he told reporters after performing Aidiladha prayers at Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan here yesterday.
On July 5, Ismail Sabri announced immediate aid for 1,490 flood victims to be given through 112 heads of households, comprising RM1,000 in compassionate payment, RM2,500 for basic necessities, RM500 for electrical appliances, and assistance for house repairs.
Several areas in Baling were inundated after a three-hour downpour on July 4. The floods damaged dozens of houses, displaced more than 1,000 people and claimed three lives.
Meanwhile, Bernama reported that the Disaster Operations Control Centre (PKOB) in Baling has received 121 applications from various parties wanting to channel aid to flood victims in several areas and villages.
Baling district police chief Supt Shamsudin Mamat said the applications came from, among others, government agencies, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and individuals, since the centre opened on July 4.
They have subsequently been approved.
“All of them have provided assistance in terms of humanitarian aid as well as cleaning up work. We always welcome contributions from the public to alleviate the burden of flood victims.
“Any party who wants to deliver aid and donations must register with PKOB so that all the aid can be coordinated and channelled to the affected residents,” he told a press conference in Baling yesterday.
He said this in response to a video that was going viral on the Internet. In the video, several vehicles were carrying supplies to help flood victims, but they weren’t allowed to go into the affected areas.
Supt Shamsuddin said that the police had never stopped anyone from getting help to flood victims, but he stressed that it had to be done the right way, which meant first signing up with PKOB.
This was aimed at coordinating all the contributions to ensure that flood victims or residents could get the aid without anyone being left out.
“We have 38 villages and residential areas affected by this disaster, from Lata Celak to Kupang. We do not want this assistance to be concentrated in one place only. We want it to be comprehensive so that all the affected communities get equal assistance.
“Hence, the PKOB will coordinate and give them a letter and determine where the aid should be sent to.
“They will be given the telephone numbers of people who can be contacted in the area so that the aid can be channelled to those who are really affected by the floods,” he said.
So far, Supt Shamsuddin said that more than 1,000 police reports have been lodged by residents on matters related to damage to houses, loss of property and documents in the tragedy.
