PM assured prompt assistance for Sabah flood victims

KOTA KINABALU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob assured that financial assistance for flood victims in Sabah will be channeled promptly.
“We will send the assistance in the next few days. What is important the situation there is under control,” he said.
The Prime Minister gave the assurance in response to the state’s request made by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor during the post-North East monsoon flood disaster management task force special meeting held virtually this morning.
Hajiji had earlier briefed the Prime Minister who chaired the special meeting that as of Monday morning, six districts namely Kota Marudu, Pitas, Paitan, Ranau, Sandakan and Telupid have been affected by floods.
“We have opened up 23 temporary evacuation centres (PPS) in these districts to shelter 874 families involving 2,435 people,” he said.
Hajiji said all relevant agencies instructed to assist the flood victims have carried out their responsibility well.
So far, he said Sabah had received RM200,000 and another RM674,000 is needed as financial assistance for each affected families.
The Federal Government has announced that each of the family affected by the floods will be given RM1,000 Bantuan Wang Ihsan (BWI).
At the same time, Hajiji said the State Government was also distributing food baskets to the victims.
“So, it is good that the Federal Government will expedite the distribution of financial assistance to Sabah,” he said.
Hajiji told the Prime Minister that the State Government was also waiting for infrastructure damage report caused by the floods in all the affected districts.
The Chief Minister will be visiting Kota Marudu, Pitas and Paitan to assess situation on the ground and to meet flood victims this Wednesday.
Joining the Chief Minister at the meeting were State Secretary, Datuk Seri Panglima Sr Safar Untong, Director General of the Public Service Department, Datuk Rosmadi Sulai and Director of Internal Affairs and Research Division, Chief Minister’s Department, Datuk Hj Ag Shahminan Datuk Hj Ag Sahari