Permanent disaster relief centres to be set up immediately in nine states - PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Permanent Disaster Relief Centres (PPKB) will be established immediately, with the pilot project to begin in nine states, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the PPKB involves a ceiling cost of RM5 million for each centre and is set to provide better protection for flood victims than temporary relief centres (PPS).

"We are faced with floods every year, it's unreasonable to only have PPS, that's why the government decided to set up the PPKB.

"So, the PPKB can perhaps also be a community activity centre (outside the flood season) but is reserved with one preparation (to deal with floods) so that it is better," he said during the Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Shamshulkahar Mohd Deli (BN-Jempol) as to whether the government has plans and actions to improve basic PPS facilities nationwide.

In reply to Shamshulkahar's original question about the government's preparedness to manage flood disasters and the Northeast Monsoon season, Anwar said an early allocation of RM241 million had been channelled for use in 164 districts in the spirit of MADANI Malaysia.

He said pre-flood preparations have also been stepped up through community-based disaster risk management and that even the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) has identified 5,648 flood hotspots.

"Maintenance works have been carried out, in addition to activating the operations control rooms, forecast centres and flood warnings which will operate 24 hours. We have also placed 73 mobile pumps at all flood hotspots nationwide as well as upgraded the flood warning siren system and web camera stations," he said.

According to him, 66,169 officers and personnel from various branches of government agencies at all levels are on standby, comprising the Malaysian Armed Forces, police, fire and rescue department, Civil Defence Force and the People's Volunteer Corps, with the support of 25,440 units of various assets.

Anwar said the Social Welfare Department (JKM) is also ready to activate 8,481 temporary relief centres which can accommodate 1,620,855 evacuees nationwide.

Anwar said what is more important in dealing with floods is ensuring all flood mitigation projects nationwide are immediately implemented.

"... regarding flood mitigation, there are now six projects on schedule, (and) dozens of other projects are in the final lap to begin operational in one or two months throughout the Peninsula and also Sabah and Sarawak," he said.

In reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang) about the special allocation for parliamentary areas that are frequently hit by floods, Anwar said Kelantan has been given priority since the state's flood situation is more severe.

"This includes Phase Two of the Sungai Kelantan Integrated River Basin Development Project and Kota Bharu flood mitigation plan, which may begin in a month. The meeting with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin yesterday also agreed to speed up the construction and maintenance of the bridge at Sungai Golok-Rantau Panjang in a bid to ease flood concerns," he said.

Anwar yesterday held a working visit to Sadao, Songkhla Province, Thailand to discuss bilateral cooperation with his Thai counterpart.

On the question of assistance for flood-hit farmers and breeders, Anwar said there is already a provision for this group, but the government would ensure the state, district and Federal machinery had reasonable compensation for the flood victims.

On Malaysia's preparedness to adapt to the use of technology in tackling floods, as raised by Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar), Anwar said the country had already reached an agreement with the Netherlands to cooperate in that aspect.

"However, the Netherlands held an election recently, (and) the prime minister who previously agreed has resigned after the extreme right group won and it is not very encouraging for us. I will contact the new prime minister to find out about their commitment regarding the cooperation," he said.

-- BERNAMA