'Canned sardine and egg' stigma at flood relief centres overcome: Rohani

PASIR MAS: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has overcome the stigma "of providing only canned sardines and eggs" to evacuees at the flood relief centres.
Its minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the ministry had appointed 59 suppliers in Kelantan to provide daily essentials including fresh produce like chicken and fish to the flood relief centres already in operation now.
"This is one of the improvements we've made each year in ensuring comfort for the flood evacuees while at the relief centres.
"However, canned sardines and eggs are still provided as supplementary food. This is because if the roads to the relief centres are cut off (by flood waters) and the suppliers cannot send the food supply to the centres, the evacuees will still have something to eat."
Rohani said this to reporters after visiting the flood relief centre at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Lati, here, with 1,081 flood victims from 468 families housed at the centre since three days ago.
She said the Kelantan Social Welfare Department also had 216 forward bases in the state to support the basic needs of flood evacuees at the relief centres.
Meanwhile, Rohani said the federal government received good cooperation from the Kelantan government in managing flood victims this year.
"In Kelantan, we have been collaborating with various state agencies in holding flood simulation exercise as this is a joint responsibility between the state government and federal government.
"From this simulation exercise, there has been improved level of preparedness between both sides and we are able to manage the disaster better and more systematically," she said. — Bernama