Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has asked Putrajaya to explain why it has provided the least financial aid to flood victims in Penang, compared to other states in the country.

Lim said Putrajaya approved only RM35,500 for Penang, while Kelantan received the most at RM90.34 million. 

The data was provided by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim in a written parliamentary reply to Lim on Nov 6. 

The figures showed the amount given out by the federal government from 2013 to Sept this year.

They are Pahang (41.06 million), Terengganu (34.05), Sarawak (28.65), Sabah (14.16), Perak (9.03), Johor (RM7.13), Selangor (4.66), Kedah (4.02), Melaka (896,210), Negeri Sembilan (RM469,000), Perlis (217,500), and Federal Territories (RM167,000).

So far, the federal government has given out a total of RM234,888,470 to assist victims via the state government's compassion fund for flood victims, said Lim.

"This reflects two things; either Penang has not experienced much flooding (in the state) or the state is not given enough attention like other states; we do not know which one," Lim said at a press conference in Komtar today.

"We leave it to the federal government to answer. We hope Putrajaya can provide us with financial help," he added. 

Lim insisted that he is not complaining that the federal government did not help Penang during the floods of Nov 4 and 5, which claimed seven lives and displaced thousands.

"The federal government did help us in relocating people to relief centres but now we need financial help. This is not for the state but for the victims."

Lim urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to make good his promise the day he visited the flood victims in Seberang Perai on Nov 7.

"We need help from the federal government to approve the funds for flood mitigation projects."

After a briefing session on the floods, Najib said the amount of allocation needed for long-term flood mitigation would amount to about RM1 billion.

Najib said he has previously approved RM150 million for Penang but would consider a larger amount as the November floods were disastrous.