HULU LANGAT: Flood victims who lost their identity card, passport and other important documents under the agencies of the Home Ministry can get a replacement for these documents free of charge.

Its minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the National Registration Department and Immigration Department would be ordered to assist the flood victims whose personal documents had been destroyed or lost in the flood.

"Now the flood victims can focus on cleaning up their homes or shops," he told reporters after visiting and handing out aid to flood victims at Batu 18, Kampung Jawa, near here, today.

He also described the extent of the floods in Hulu Langat and Shah Alam in Selangor this time was unprecedented compared to the preparations made by the agencies under his ministry which were focusing on the East Coast states.

"Usually, the East Coast states would be experiencing floods around November until March and this has caused the mobilisation of assets to be focused on these states.

"However, following the serious flood situation in Selangor, discussionsd will be held with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and the Finance Ministry on the use of assets and improvements that can be made on the flood operations," he said.

On claims by netizens of slow rescue operations conducted by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) for the flood victims, Hamzah said: "I thank the public who have been channelling information on the assistance required but we need to understand that such a bad flood situation has seldom occurred in Selangor.

"We should also look at what should be done as well as the constraints and problems encountered in entering the flooded areas to rescue the victims."

Meanwhle, Hamzah said the Home Ministry would be getting the assistance of over 5,000 Rela members and from other relevant agencies for over 23,000 PDRM officers and personnel in the flood assistance operations in eight affected states.

-- BERNAMA