RM83 mln set aside through GDRN to help flood victims - Tengku Zafrul

KUALA LUMPUR: Funds amounting to RM83 million including grants of RM25 million by the government is being channelled through Government-Linked Companies (GLC) and Government-Linked Investment Companies (GLIC) Disaster Recovery Network (GDRN) to help flood victims, said Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.

He said the GLICs and GLCs will contribute RM58 million to address the floods, an increase of over 100 per cent compared with RM25 million announced previously.

"In addition, since December 17, GDRN has started to monitor the flood situation nationwide. GDRN has also gone to the ground to distribute assistance to those in need," he said in the 80th Implementation and Coordination Unit Between National Agencies (LAKSANA) report today.

He said, among others, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has provided the EPF Learning Campus as a temporary relief centre; Telekom Malaysia which has activated its Crisis Command Centre is ready to provide communications and emergency services assistance; while both Pharmaniaga and MASKargo have helped in delivering aid to the flood victims.

Tengku Zafrul said the banking sector has also pledged its readiness to offer assistance programmes including loan repayment assistance to the flood-affected borrowers.

Hence, he said the government will continue to monitor the situation and the Finance Ministry specifically is always prepared to provide sufficient allocations immediately to help the flood victims.

"The Federal and state governments have started to repair houses and public infrastructure that have been damaged by the floods.

"Various agencies have been mobilised to address the floods in Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam immediately. Besides that, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage has been directed to pump out the stagnant flood water from the flood areas to nearby rivers," he said.

According to the minister, some RM100 million has been allocated to drive the post-flood recovery efforts.

On the Wage Subsidy Programme (PSU), he said a total of RM19.815 billion had been channelled to 360,094 employers to retain the employment of 2,949,828 local workers in efforts to reduce the unemployment rate.

For the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Digitalisation Grant, Tengku Zafrul said some RM150.60 million had been channelled to 53,840 SMEs in the form of matching grants as at December 10.

"A total of RM89.9 million had been channelled to 13,889 businesses in grants and loans to subscribe for digitalisation services to encourage SMEs and mid-tier companies toward digitalising their operations and trade channels," he added.

-- BERNAMA