Losses due to northeast monsoon floods estimated at RM1bil, says Ahmad Zahid

DUNGUN: Losses due to floods throughout the country during the Northeast Monsoon this time are estimated at almost RM1bil, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) was still assessing the actual damage caused by the flood disaster.

"But as an estimate, we put the figure at almost RM1bil,” he told reporters after officiating at the Santunan Kasih Ramadan programme of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry at Masjid Sultan Mahmud in Bandar Al Muktafi Billah Shah here on Sunday (March 17).

Also present were Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Rubiah Wang and Terengganu Tengah Development Authority (Ketengah) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Said.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the losses included damage to infrastructure like roads, which are being repaired by the Public Works Department for federal roads and the ministry for rural roads.

He said assistance for repairing affected houses and aid for flood victims had been channelled by Nadma to disaster management committees at the state and district levels.

However, Ahmad Zahid expressed regret over the unfair distribution of flood aid in certain states during the flood season last year.

Ahmad Zahid alleged that different political affiliations caused some flood victims to be not listed as recipients when the aid was distributed at the state level.

"I think this should not have happened. We want to establish equity and fairness for all victims but this did not happen in certain states,” he added.

Ahmad Zahid said during election campaigns, these state governments had promised not to look at 'political colours' when it came to the distribution of disaster assistance but acted otherwise after winning the polls. - Bernama