KUALA LUMPUR: An initial allocation of RM1.74 million has been channelled to the National Disaster Relief Trust Fund (KWABBN) as expenditure for the state disaster management committee secretariat and the district disaster management committees.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the move was aimed at ensuring that flood disaster operations in the country were properly managed.
“The government will ensure that the funds are sufficient and should there be any shortage, the allocation will be increased according to estimated needs,“ she said in reply to Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang) during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
To date RM422 million have been spent from 2008 to 2017 and RM25.8 million was incurred from Jan to Oct this year, for flood operations.
In addition, the Women and Family Development Minister said Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) Sdn Bhd was consulted to look into the relief centre sewerage systems and ensure that they were well- maintained.
The government also held talks with telecommunications companies to ensure that notices on the flood situations were delivered promptly, she added.
In facing the northeast monsoon which is expected to continue until March 2019, Dr Wan Azizah said first responder agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Police, Fire and Rescue Department and the Civil Defence Force (APM) were prepared to mobilise 78,612 personnel at the flood-prone areas.
Apart from that 1,080 of the 5,448 relief centres have been activated while five storage depots, 165 disaster warehouses and 581 bases have been stocked with food supplies and other necessities for the victims.
Meanwhile, 1,454 four-wheel drive vehicles, air assets (15), lorries (859), boats (1,138) and 425 ambulances have been put on standby.
Dr Wan Azizah said the Central Committee meeting chaired by her on Oct 30 had decided that leave for the personnel involved during the operations, would be frozen from November to December this year and this might be extended until March 2019, depending on the weather conditions in the affected states. — Bernama
