DATUK Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an additional allocation of RM25 million each for Kelantan and Terengganu following the severe floods that have hit the states.
According to reports in Bernama, the prime minister said the funds, channelled through the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister's Department, will be used for repairing essential infrastructure such as roads and drainage systems, as well as raising road levels in Hulu Besut.
"The federal government will also provide special financial assistance of RM500 to over 14,000 civil servants in Terengganu, involving an allocation of RM7.4 million," he said after visiting flood victims at the Temporary Evacuation Centre (PPS) at Sekolah Kebangsaan, Kampung Telaga Papan, Setiu, which currently houses 269 evacuees.
The federal government had already allocated approximately RM50 million to assist flood victims in Kelantan and Terengganu through funds from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma). The additional allocation is intended for the repair of infrastructure and post-flood work, which is expected to incur high costs.
"For other states, we are monitoring the situation. We don’t want any misunderstandings… allocations will follow needs, and I expect the total losses (in the flood in affected states) this time could approach RM1 billion," Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said.
He also said there was no need to declare an emergency, despite the increasingly serious flood situation, especially in Kelantan and Terengganu.
He explained that this is because all security teams, including the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), the Civil Defence Force (APM), the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), and all federal, state and district machinery are capable of handling the disaster effectively.
"Therefore, there is no need at all to declare a state of emergency," he said. - December 1, 2024
