GEORGE TOWN, July 6 — The Kedah state government needs to conduct a public Commission of Inquiry to get to the root of the matter with regards to the Baling floods and the Gunung Jerai tragedy recently, according to Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM).

In a statement today, SAM president Meenakshi Raman said such an inquiry is needed to ascertain what exactly was going on in the state as well as to identify what measures and gaps needed to be addressed with urgency.

"In order to come clean on the matter and to regain public confidence, SAM once again calls on the Kedah state government to hold a public Commission of Inquiry. Clearly, there is more to these incidences than meets the eye, and if we are to avert another tragedy of this kind.

"Simply blaming Mother Nature is not going to work any longer, as the intensity and frequency of such intense rainfalls due to climate change will be a recurring problem,” she added.

The floods in Baling claimed three lives while more than 1,400 residents had to be evacuated to three temporary evacuation centres (PPS) as seven houses were completely destroyed and about 70 other houses were damaged. — Bernama