Employers should give paid leave to flood victims

KUALA LUMPUR: Flood victims affected by the current massive flood disaster should be allowed to go on paid leave to do cleaning up and repair works for their respective houses.

At the same time, Hannah Yeoh (PH-Segambut) said flood victims should also be spared from paying December's electricity and water bills while calling for Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to provide such assistance.

She also pointed out that since the Christmas celebration is around the corner, flood victims would need more time to do repair works as well as make preparations for the celebration.

"Those affected need time, I believe more than a week because their houses are flooded and not just with water but also mud.

"They have also lost everything they possess in the house. I ask the cooperation of all employers to let your employees go on leave while they take care of things and don't give them unpaid leave. Have mercy.

"Also, the cleaning up work will use a lot of water and electricity and so I ask Syabas and TNB spare the flood victims from paying this month's bills.

"They don't have a choice but to use a huge amount of water," she said during a press conference in Parliament here today.

Yeoh had also asked Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim to quickly announce the assistance packages provided for flood victims, especially those who lost their houses in the recent landslide.

On the late response by authorities during the current massive floods, Yeoh called on the government to activate the army to provide immediate help to flood victims.

"Previously, we kept seeing SMS messages from the National Security Council (NSC) on Covid-19 and other things when it wasn't even important.

"But now that we are facing a natural disaster, why is NSC not sending any SMS to assist the public? We have all the assets needed to deal with such a disastrous situation so why aren't we using it all?

"Today will be the third day that this country is facing these massive floods and yet, all the victims are still screaming asking for boats. Where are the boats?"