31,120 families affected by floods in 2017 eligible for compassionate payment

ARAU: A total of 31,120 families who were evacuated to relief centres when floods hit the country in January and February last year are eligible to receive the compassionate payment of RM500, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim.
He said the families comprised 108,840 people who were evacuated to 946 registered flood evacuation centres in 10 states.
The compassionate payment will be disbursed beginning today with the flood victims in the Arau parliamentary constituency, he told reporters after opening a disaster awareness programme at the Arau Member of Parliament's Service Centre here today.
Also present were Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) director-general Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun and Malaysian Defence Force director-general Datuk Azmy Yahya. — Bernama