Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng wants the federal government to explain why it can provide a financial aid of RM500 to Kelantan flood victims but not Penangites.

“How come Penang does not receive such assistance?

"We hope Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will sympathise with the problems and the suffering of the flood victims, as he had witnessed the situation himself on Nov 7, during his visit to Seberang Perai,” Lim said while wrapping up his speech on the state budget at the Penang Legislative Assembly today.

Lim was referring to Najib’s announcement on Nov 7 that Penang needed RM1 billion for flood mitigation projects, saying he had earlier approved RM150 million.

Earlier today, Lim announced the state government was increasing the financial aid to flood victims to RM700, a hike of RM200 from the previously announced RM500.

Malicious claims

Lim also slammed the state opposition for saying that financial aid for flood victims in the state will only be given to those who are politically inclined to Pakatan Harapan.

Lim said such claims were "very malicious", as the Penang government had never practised discrimination when it comes to financial aid.

“We pay everyone. You can see it when we pay the senior citizens their annual cash award of RM100 each, regardless of whether they are members of Umno, MCA, MIC, or Gerakan,” he said, while waving a copy of Utusan Malaysia.

An article in the newspaper had quoted state opposition leader Jahara Hamid (BN-Ayer Teluk Tawar) as saying that the state government needed to clarify its method of providing aid to flood victims.

She raised concerns about public donations going directly into Penang DAP’s account, saying “There are so many outside donations into DAP’s party fund, don’t they ask the flood victims to register as members of the party before the aid is given?"

Show proof

To this, Lim urged Jahara to show proof that the state government has indeed provided aid to Harapan members only.

“If there is no proof, the Umno assemblypersons must apologise and withdraw the remarks, do not ridicule the state government’s effort in helping the people just because of their political interests,” he said.

“We do not want to be a state government for only our supporters but for the 1.6 million people, including BN supporters,” he added.

Lim said if the federal government cannot provide aid as much as the Penang government, it should not try to negate the people’s effort in getting the money by hurling insults and lies.

“We do not say that the federal government did not help, but we are saying that it had not provided assistance to us since the floods,” Lim explained.