National disaster management agency ready for floods

The National Disaster Management Agency is fully prepared for major floods that might occur during the monsoon season.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim said the agency chaired by the prime minister is ready for any eventuality at every level - state, district and community including village and housing areas.

"The agency receives information every few hours on the weather in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang as the prevailing monsoon winds might likely bring heavy rain.

"For now rainfall is not that heavy because of the El Nino climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean but it involves four episodes; the first episode was safe, hopefully the other three would also be safe," he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Annuar Musa (BN-Keterah) who wanted to know about the agency's flood preparations.

Earlier, Shahidan said in reply to Annuar's original question that the federal government would build 1,123 units of new permanent houses for flood victims in Kelantan.

Another 449 units would be built by the state government and 187 units, by non governmental organisations.

"To date, 183 units built by the federal government have been completed and handed over to eligible victims while 271 are under construction and 40, at the pre-construction stage.

"Aside from that, sites have already been allocated for the construction of 511 houses which began last Oct 22.

"But some are still pending while awaiting approval from the Federal Lands Commission, South Kelantan Development Authority and individual owners," he said.

He said the delay in starting the project was due to unavailability of suitable land, high infrastructure cost and process in taking over land from individual owners.