Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil today took opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to task for "marching" in Dataran Merdeka while the people in the latter's constituency of Permatang Pauh in Penang were "struggling to stay afloat" in rising flood waters. 

"This shows that the opposition is more concerned about their personal political agenda, and not helping the rakyat, who are clearly struggling due to the worst floods in the state. 

"I have been following the situation there, I see the people's suffering, no matter what their "skin colour" or their political alliance is, who ended up helping them at the end?" she was quoted saying in Umno Online. 

Shahrizat was referring to Wan Azizah and other opposition politicians' participation in marching from the Parliament to Dataran Merdeka, in conjunction with the 1,000th-day imprisonment of Pakatan Harapan de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim for his second sodomy conviction. Anwar is Wan Azizah's husband. 

According to Shahrizat, BN-aligned forces, including its top leaders, had been "on the ground" in Penang, since day one of the tragedy, but opposition lawmakers where nowhere to be seen. 

"Today, the prime minister (Najib Abdul Razak) went there, previously it was the deputy prime minister. Umno and BN machinery had been on ground zero since day one. Where is PKR, DAP? Where is Wan Azizah, Nurul Izzah (Anwar)? They were at Dataran Merdeka, was Dataran Merdeka flooded?" she asked sarcastically. 

Shahrizat further expressed regret over Wan Azizah, who was "clearly taking the opposition to suit her personal agenda". 

"They (the opposition) should have mobilised leaders and members to Penang, including in Permatang Pauh, from the onset of the tragedy."

Among the other opposition leaders who participated in the march last night where PKR vice-president Tian Chua, Subang MP R Sivarasa, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah, as well as Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar and Shah Alam lawmaker Khalid Samad. 

Penang was inundated with flood waters - the worst in the state's history, over the weekend. The ensuing recovery efforts have seen state Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng meet with federal ministers, including Najib and his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to discuss the aftermath and the way forward. 

Najib also announced an RM150 million allocation for flood mitigation efforts in the state.