Not true PM slow to act in S'gor floods, Shahril tells state rep
Umno Youth information chief Shahril Hamdan has defended Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob against the threat of a lawsuit for allegedly acting in bad faith when Selangor was hit by floods.
Responding to Hulu Kelang assemblyperson Saari Sungib, Shahril said it was not true that Ismail had been slow to act in managing floods in Selangor last weekend.
"His (Saari's) statement appears to be an attempt to let go of his own responsibilities and point fingers at others," said Shahril in a Facebook post.
Umno Youth information chief Shahril Hamdan (above) has defended Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob against the threat of a lawsuit for allegedly acting in bad faith when Selangor was hit by floods.
Responding to Hulu Kelang assemblyperson Saari Sungib, Shahril said it was not true that Ismail had been slow to act in managing floods in Selangor last weekend.
"His (Saari's) statement appears to be an attempt to let go of his own responsibilities and point fingers at others," said Shahril in a Facebook post.
Citing ongoing post-flood recovery efforts in all affected areas, Shahril also urged Saari to stop fanning the flames with his call for the public to band together in a lawsuit against Ismail.
"There are many homes to be cleaned, roads to be fixed, victims that need to receive government aid.
"I recommend that Saari continue to give the best service to all of them," said Shahril.
Contrary to Saari's claims, Shahril pointed out that Ismail had mobilised federal assets to carry out rescue and relief efforts on Dec 17 – the day when water levels started to rise - after he was briefed by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) on the extraordinary rainfall.
"My own area in Kuala Langat was prepared to receive flood victims from early on Dec 18, with Rela, Health Ministry and Welfare Department personnel on standby.
"The prime minister had initiated actions right after there was a predicted continuous rainfall," he said.
Further, Shahril refuted Saari's claims that Ismail had ignored Selangor's early pleas for help and federal intervention.
Following the briefing by Nadma, Shahril said Ismail had visited Bukit Lanchung in Putra Heights on Dec 18 to ensure federal assets were mobilised as part of the evacuation process.
He said this was followed by Ismail's visit to flood victims in Telok Gong, Klang, on Sunday, and an initial announcement on assistance including the RM1,000 cash aid.
"It is unfair to accuse the prime minister of not doing anything or slow to act. Everything has been mobilised on Dec 17," he stressed.
On claims that Ismail had allegedly acted in bad faith, Shahril insisted that pointing fingers will not be a solution for any problems.
He, however, cited Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar's reported remarks that the state government already has access to federal assets such as the military via a disaster management committee chaired by the state secretary.
On Tuesday, FMT reported Amirudin as saying that he had called the prime minister on the 17th with an urgent appeal for federal assets to be deployed to affected areas.
The menteri besar claimed that Ismail Sabri told him that this was not up to him and that it was under the purview of the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).
Thus far, 25 out of 46 flood fatalities in the country occurred in Selangor.
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