KUALA BERANG, Nov 30 — The federal government has started distributing RM1,000 in Bantuan Wang Ehsan to heads of households (KIR) affected by floods nationwide since yesterday, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, said the assistance distributed to each KIR who moved to a temporary evacuation centre (PPS) and in accordance with the conditions determined by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) would be distributed in phases.

"I hope that the distribution of assistance, especially this cash assistance, will be fully organised and we do not want any of the KIRs who moved to the PPS to be left out,” he told reporters after visiting the PPS at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Matang, here today.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the federal government has also asked state governments that have suffered floods to also work on providing assistance and emergency funds to KIRs or victims who have suffered major losses such as damage to their homes and household appliances.

"Of course, the cooperation between the central government and the state governments, which is currently very good and we must find ways to ease the burden of victims who have been evacuated (to PPS) and whose houses have been damaged and household appliances destroyed,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid also assured that the government has sufficient allocation to distribute the Bantuan Wang Ihsan to affected KIRs nationwide, which has now exceeded 30,000 KIRs.

In fact, he said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the Minister of Finance, will increase the allocation for the cash assistance if the number of KIRs exceeds the allocation provided.

In the meantime, he said the government is building 14 Permanent Disaster Evacuation Centres (PPKB) nationwide or one PPKB in each state for the convenience of flood victims.

"For Hulu Terengganu, we have received applications from local leaders (for the construction of PPKB) and we will consider it for the second phase. I have asked district officers to identify suitable areas for the construction of this PPKB.

"Allocations are already in place and the prime minister himself has given Nadma an overall allocation for next year’s budget of RM600 million, which is RM100 million more than this year’s allocation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said that following sharp increase in victims today compared to yesterday, the government has ordered all enforcement and security agencies to be on standby and organise the movement of their teams as best as possible.

"Because the situation this time is very unusual, yesterday afternoon there were only 37,000 victims nationwide, this afternoon it has reached around 137,000 victims and this number will increase or decrease depending on the weather.

"The increase today and yesterday is very unusual, therefore our readiness to organise these movements is well organised,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid also expressed his appreciation to the State Disaster Management Committee and at the district level including in Terengganu in rescuing and caring for flood victims.

He said that cooperation between the federal government and the state government regardless of political differences such as the one that has developed now is very important to safeguard the welfare of the people who have been affected by the flood disaster.

Earlier, Ahmad Zahid spent about 30 minutes comforting flood victims at SMK Matang here, which consists of 275 victims from 130 families.

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister also spent time visiting flood victims at SK Nibong here, which houses 265 victims from 91 families. — Bernama