T'ganu Govt approves additional sum of RM1m to assist flood victims

The Terengganu government has approved an additional allocation of RM1 million for the Social Welfare Department to provide food supplies and other necessities to flood victims in the state.

Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said besides that, the state government also agreed to give a special allocation to each state constituency critically hit by floods like in the Kemaman and Dungun parliamentary areas.

"For state constituencies in the badly hit parliamentary areas, we will give an additional RM100,000 each, while the other state constituencies where the flood situation is not critical will each receive RM50,000."

Ahmad Razif said this to reporters after chairing the Terengganu Flood Disaster Committee meeting, here, which was also attended by State Secretary Datuk Mazlan Ngah.

He said Terengganu had received an additional allocation of RM13 million from the RM50 million announced by the federal government two days ago.

He added that the allocation would be channelled through the various departments to pay the petrol and diesel costs for the operational teams, and to purchase necessary items such as gensets and boats, to hire boats and to meet other needs in assisting the flood victims.

On contributions coming from various quarters, Ahmad Razif said he had asked the state Health and Women, Family and Community Development Committee chaired by Muhamad Pehemi Yusof to act as the state-level secretariat for coordination purpose.

He said at the district level, it would be chaired by the district officers and the state government had asked all the district offices to each open a collection centre for the contributions received.

The menteri besar said the state government would also look into building large halls in strategic locations and equipped with facilities for temporary accommodation and cooking for flood evacuees during the wet season, and for other activities at other times.