KLANG: The government has allocated RM100 million towards the repair of homes and infrastructure damaged by the floods which hit several states yesterday, including large parts of the Klang Valley, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He also announced aid of RM1,000 for each household affected by the floods.
Speaking at a press conference after visiting flood relief centres in Klang, which was one of the worst-hit districts in Selangor, the prime minister said the government understood the severity of the damage experienced in the states.
"In Sept 2021, the government had increased the aid allocation rate to RM1,000 per household. We will expedite this payment to residents of flood-affected areas in Selangor and six other states," he said.
He said civil servants, whose homes were damaged by floods, would also be entitled to emergency leave to enable them to reorganise themselves and return to their homes.
"We understand that it's not easy to clean up and restart life after a flood. The government has decided to grant special emergency leave to civil servants who are flood victims," he said.
He also urged the private sector to do the same for their employees who were affected by the floods.
"If they agree to this, we have set two conditions. One, is that it cannot be deducted from their annual leave and two, there cannot be a pay deduction. Meaning, if the leave is for five days, there cannot be a pay cut, it has to be paid leave," he said.
At the same time, the prime minister also announced that government-linked investment companies (GLIC) and government-linked companies (GLC) have agreed to channel aid via matching grants with the government.
He said that for starters, the GLCs and GLICs have agreed to an allocation of RM20 million.
"These are among the initiatives and help we are providing to help reduce the burden faced by flood victims," he said.
The prime minister said data from the Meteorological Department showed that rainfall in Selangor in the last two days was double compared to the highest recorded.
Selangor recorded 380mm of rainfall in the last two days, significantly above the average of 60mm of rainfall normally recorded.
He said the flood in Selangor is showing sings of improvement. The water level at Sungai Klang is receding while Sungai Langat's level is average, adding that Sungai Selangor's water level has been gradually increasing.
Ismail Sabri said that to date, 103 temporary evacuation centres (PPS) have been opened in eight districts in Selangor, an increase from 48 PPS yesterday.
He said issues related to food and hygiene concerning the evacuees were also discussed and will be resolved. One concern, he said, was the threat of Covid-19.
"We will carry out Covid-19 RTK antigen tests on flood victims to ensure no one is infected.
"At the relief centres, each family will be given their own canopy for privacy. We have also agreed to install portable toilets at these centres," he said.
The Health Ministry, he said, will also provide nurses, doctors and medical equipment such as face masks, hand sanitizers and medicine at all PPS.
The prime minister visited three relief centres at SK Johan Setia, SK Telok Gong and Masjid Al-Islah to check on the condition of flood victims and the relief centres.
Ismail arrived at Johan Setia at about 11am, accompanied by Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Zuki Ali.
He spent about an hour meeting residents at the shelters.
The floods have so far left more than 15,000 people displaced with thousands of houses and properties damaged.
There are about 793 flood victims seeking shelter at the Johan Setia relief centre since the floods started on Friday.
Ismail Sabri also visited another 681 flood victims at SK Telok Gong and 256 victims at Masjid Al-Islah, before wading through flood waters to visit other affected areas in Klang.