PUTRAJAYA: District offices should have no political biases in distributing aid to flood victims, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“I found that only people with certain affiliations received aid last year,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.
He said the monetary aid was from federal allocations, which were handed over to state agencies and district offices.
“We have begun disbursing the aid through the district offices.
“The aim is to provide help for affected victims and not based on political biases,” he told reporters after chairing the National Flood Management Agency meeting yesterday.
Ahmad Zahid said the north-east monsoon had reached its tail end following the fifth wet spell.
“There are currently only 80 flood victims in three temporary flood relief centres in three states,” he added.
Although there had been more rain this monsoon season compared with last year, Ahmad Zahid said the number of flood victims was lower.
This, he said, was due to proactive steps being taken once the Meteorological Department of Malaysia (MetMalaysia) had issued a weather alert.
The most affected states, he said, were Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.
Since the start of the monsoon in early November last year, he said 62,467 flood victims were temporarily housed at relief centres.
He said that 19,204 homes were affected by the floods.
There was also damage to 4,893ha of agricultural land, amounting to RM22.8mil in losses affecting 2,269 farmers.
He said that 153 education institutions were also affected, besides health facilities in Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu.
