KUANTAN, Jan 10 — The Pahang state government has allocated RM11 million to help in the daily needs of flood victims, especially those housed in temporary evacuation centres (PPS), said Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.

He said the amount included an additional allocation of RM8 million approved at the state executive council meeting on Friday taking into account the current floods situation.

"The total amount of RM11 million this year is the second highest after the catastrophic floods in 2014/2015 involving about 100,000 victims, which amounted to RM57 million.

"The additional allocation channelled to the Social Welfare Department (JKM) is expected to help it (the department) to continue to look after the welfare of flood victims,” he said in a statement here today.

For the record, the state government’s flood allocation in 2016 was RM16,493, RM1.9 million respectively for 2017 and 2018, and RM46,200 in 2019 based on the needs and level of seriousness of the floods for those years.

Wan Rosdy also said that JKM has also spent about RM3.4 million for the floods operation this time with a total of RM2.9 million spent to purchase the victims’ daily necessities at the PPS.

"I hope those in the PPS and in the field, including staff and volunteers, always focus on personal safety and health as well as maintain the standard operating procedures set to curb the spread of Covid-19 ,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pahang State Secretary Datuk Seri Sallehuddin Ishak said the state government was also taking efforts to provide adequate drinking water supply for flood and post-flood victims.

Sallehuddin, who is also the Pahang Disaster Management Committee chairman, expects more than a million bottles of drinking water will be needed. Therefore he also welcomes contributions from the public and non-governmental organisations to meet this need.

"Drinking water is one of the main necessities during the flood season because water treatment plants in some flood-affected locations have to be closed and there are also fears that the hygiene at some water sources could lead to diseases,” he added.

As of this morning flood victims in Pahang comprise 26,375 people from 7,120 families housed in 274 PPS in nine districts. Temerloh is the district most affected by the floods this time. — Bernama