Second wave of floods: Ministry seeks RM33m to aid victims, purchase supplies

THE Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has applied for an allocation of RM33 mil to purchase essential items in preparation for the second wave of floods. 

Deputy Minister Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff said the application was made to the Finance Ministry as supplies at the ministry’s storage depots as well as forwarding bases are running low. 

Siti Zailah said the decision was made yesterday morning, at a virtual special flood coordination meeting that she chaired. 

She said the allocation would be used to buy supplies for flood victims such as blankets, mats, dry food, disposable diapers and so on. 

“The goods will be stored at forwarding bases in high-risk states, including Sabah and Sarawak,” she added. 

Siti Zailah told this to reporters after visiting flood-hit areas in Kampung Tersang and Lanchang in Rantau Panjang, Kelantan, yesterday. 

The Rantau Panjang MP said the ministry had to send items from Kelantan to assist victims in Pahang floods and Kedah to victims in Selangor as both states had run out of supplies. 

She also said that the Social Welfare Department is facing a staff shortage as many of them also became victims of the flooding. 

“Currently, we have limited staff. For example, in Temerloh, Pahang we have 88 temporary relief centres but there are only 37 Welfare Department staff, some of whom are also affected by floods. 

In Selangor, we have 47 personnel but only 15 can work. Due to this, we need help from other agencies as well as from volunteers,” Siti Zailah added. – Dec 28, 2021.  

 

Photo credit: The Sun Daily

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