KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 — Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub today announced that the ministry will mobilise food banks for flood affected areas with immediate effect.

He said the food banks will provide ready-cooked meals for the flood victims in light of food scarcity that is not avoidable during natural disasters.

"We will focus on if possible ready-cooked food, there is no time for them to their kitchen, because of the flood.

"So the ministry’s responsibility is to help ease their burden and we must sympathise with all flood victims,” he told reporters during a press conference at the Parliament today.

He also said that there will be no additional fiscal stimulus as the budget for the food bank project as it has been allocated by the government and will be assisted by the companies involved via corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.

Earlier today, national news agency Bernama reported that the number of flood victims in five states climbed to 56,159 people this morning, with Terengganu and Kelantan continuing to record an increase in the number of evacuees compared to yesterday.