Kedah flood victims hope disaster management measures will be taken as planned

ALOR SETAR: Flood victims in Kedah welcome the government's initiative to take strategic measures to improve disaster management and hope that the plan will be carried out so that the people are better prepared when the disaster strikes.

Adzizah Kassim, 60, from Kampung Padang Asun Luar near Bukit Kayu Hitam, said as her family had been facing flood problems for the past 30 years, she was grateful and welcomed the government's move.

She said appropriate steps and a systematic approach to flooding problems were needed to ensure that flood victims were not severely affected by the disaster.

"Each time it floods, my house will be inundated and there was one time when the water reached up to the waist level," she said adding that at times the area was hit by floods three times a year and her furniture and electrical equipment could not be saved.

"As such I really hope the state government will focus on upgrading works especially to the drainage system around our housing area through these measures," she said when met by Bernama at her house.

FLOODS- KEDAH 2 ALOR SETAR

Last week, the Central Disaster Management Committee (JPBP) meeting, agreed to the eight strategic measures to improve national disaster management as outlined by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA).

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was quoted as saying that the short, medium and long term measures must be taken by the federal and state governments so that the flood disaster does not have a big impact on the country and the people.

Another resident of Kampung Alor Gunung here, Jamilah Mohamed, 57, said she was glad to hear the measures proposed by the government to address the flood problem and hoped that the plan could be implemented efficiently and effectively.

Jamilah, said it was important to reduce the effects of flooding and control the floods as best as possible should it happen again in the future.

"The recent floods (between Nov and Dec last year) had taken a toll on my family. Our income was affected as we could not run our business and had to bear the losses of property damage," said the food trader.

FLOODS-KEDAH 3 (LAST) ALOR SETAR

Meanwhile, Bandar Baharu assemblyman Datuk Norsabrina Mohd Noor said the measures to be taken were comprehensive as the short, medium and long-term plans have been outlined in managing the flood situation.

However she said, the related ministries responsible for its implementation must find a different approach and extraordinary solutions in realising the measures to reduce the burden of flood victims.

"The relevant ministries should take immediate action to solve the problems, if the approach is the same, the results will remain the same. If a certain allocation is needed, inform the government," she added.

-- BERNAMA