BERA: The slew of measures including cash aid and vouchers provided to flood victims across the country has nothing to do with the upcoming 15th General Election (GE15).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said when the people are in need, it is the responsibility of the government to identify the measures and provide assistance.
"It has nothing to do with GE15. Instead, when people are in need, it is the government's duty to help. Even the state government has been assisting through cash aid.
"Later, when we want to build homes (destroyed in floods) we need the assistance from the state government on land related matters," he told reporters after distributing the last batch of the Bantuan Wang Ihsan (BWI) to 478 flood victims from the Bera parliamentary constituency at the Bera convention hall here today.
Ismail Sabri, who is the Bera member of parliament, was earlier asked on rumours that the series of numerous assistance for flood victims might be early signs for GE15.
Meanwhile, when asked to comment on some quarters taking advantage of the flood situation by posing as flood victims to receive a wide range of assistance, Ismail Sabri said it was important for the people to be honest.
"We have a coordinated structure where the district office will receive information on genuine flood victims and recipients from the village headman or Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) before the aid is being distributed. The district office will not know the exact details on the ground so the village headmen and JKKK will assist.
"The JKKK or village headmen will identify those who moved to the temporary relief centres or moved to temporarily stay with relatives. I hope the village headmen will assist in helping to provide aid to the needy or those genuinely affected in the floods," he said.
On the floods, Ismail Sabri described it as the worst after several parts of Bera which were spared during the floods in 2014 were badly hit this time.
"Triang was not badly affected in 2014 but this time, most places were submerged. Not only Pahang was badly hit but other states as suffered similar fate," he said.