SUNGAI PETANI, Dec 23 — PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today called on the government to set up a commission to review all policies and the roles of the relevant agencies in facing and managing disasters in the country.
He said the move was necessary to ensure that preparations could be carried out in an orderly manner and action can be taken to help the affected people effectively.
According to him, in the flood disaster that hit several states and Kuala Lumpur this time (since Friday), the coordination of assistance to the victims was seen to be slow, causing frustration among them.
“We can understand why the people are unhappy with the weaknesses in addressing this problem. That is why I say there should be a commission (to review policies on disaster management) so that the same problem does not recur,” he told reporters after attending a party programme here.
However, Anwar, who is also the MP for Port Dickson and chairman of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) opposition coalition, said that he did not agree with the actions of some parties pointing fingers at the related agencies, including the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department and the Malaysian Armed Forces, which were alleged to be slow in acting.
He said government agencies would act immediately if quick and clear instructions were given to them.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob admitted that there were weaknesses in flood disaster management, especially in Selangor and that it would be improved from time to time.
Ismail Sabri also said the responsibility of flood disaster management was not limited to the federal government alone but the state governments and that the relevant parties in each district played an important role in the matter. — Bernama
