RM1b in losses from this year's Northeast Monsoon floods - Zahid

Losses due to floods throughout the country during the Northeast Monsoon this time are estimated at almost RM1 billion, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) was still assessing the actual damage caused by the flood disaster.

“But as an estimate, we put the figure at almost RM1 billion,” he told reporters after officiating the Rural and Regional Development Ministry’s “Santunan Kasih Ramadan” programme at Masjid Sultan Mahmud in Bandar Al Muktafi Billah Shah in Dungun yesterday.

Also present were Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Rubiah Wang and Terengganu Tengah Development Authority chairperson Ahmad Said.

Zahid, who is also rural and regional development minister, said the losses included damage to infrastructure like roads, which the Public Works Department is repairing for federal roads and the ministry for rural roads.

He said Nadma had channelled assistance for repairing affected houses and aid for flood victims to disaster management committees at the state and district levels.

However, Zahid expressed regret over the unfair distribution of flood aid in certain states during last year’s flood season.

Zahid alleged that different political affiliations led to the delisting of some flood victims as recipients when the aid was distributed at the state level.

“I think this should not have happened. We want to establish equity and fairness for all victims but this did not happen in certain states,” he added.

Zahid said during election campaigns, these state governments had promised not to look at “political colours” when it came to the distribution of disaster assistance but acted otherwise after winning the polls.

- Bernama

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