10,000 Selangor flood victims to get help

SHAH ALAM: In anticipation of being hit by floods as the monsoon season approaches, the Selangor government has instructed the Social Welfare Department (JKM) to prepare flood relief aid for about 10,000 victims.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said it was a one-fold increase compared to 2021, where there was not enough aid to be distributed to all the flood victims.

“As such, I have instructed JKM to increase by one-fold the number of flood aid recipients this year,” he told a special press conference at the Selangor State Secretariat building here yesterday.

Amirudin said he had also instructed the Malaysian Civil Defence Department (APM), Fire and Rescue Department as well as the army and local government authorities to make necessary preparations, including getting ready the necessary assets.

“We also instruct all local authorities, the Drainage and Irrigation Department, Public Works Department and related departments to immediately clean retention ponds, drains and canals, especially in areas at high risk of flooding.

“This is to ensure the drainage system functions optimally,” he said, adding that a media centre would also be set up, Bernama reported.

In another development, Amirudin said the monthly payment for 760 imam in the state had been increased from RM1,300 to RM1,500 and they would be getting the new rate from this month.

The monthly allowance for other mosque personnel had also increased by RM50, meaning that effective this month, mosque nazir (administrator) would receive RM300, bilal RM340 and siak (mosque caretaker) RM290, he added.

He said the state government was also giving RM1,000 each to 500 agro entrepreneurs as an incentive for them to increase production.

“The incentive will be in the form of cash amounting to RM500, while the balance through inputs of plants, equipment and raw materials,” he said, adding that this would be implemented with the cooperation of Agro Bank Selangor and Koperasi Kohijrah Warga Hijrah Selangor Bhd.

The state government, he said, was also giving exemption in assessment tax to owners of 426,656 low-cost and village houses in Selangor for the second term, from July 1, 2023, to Dec 31, 2023, that would cost the state government more than RM29mil.

On another matter, Amirudin said the state government was not keen on tapping rare earth elements (REE) as a new source of revenue despite being informed of the presence of the minerals in the state.