Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
KUCHING: Politics is being set aside in providing emergency relief to Penang’s floods victims said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Despite the political differences in Penang in terms of the governing party, the Federal Government does not hesitate in providing assistance to the state government in the face of the worsening floods. Ahmad Zahid said priority should be given to the victims especially on safety and welfare aspects. He pointed out that assistance should be channelled immediately through a coordination committee under the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).
“It is our responsibility to care for all Malaysians, which is why I have instructed to mobilise personnel and assets to be deployed immediately.
“The Federal Government is committed in assisting the victims, this is our responsibility and such matter should not be politicised whereby, the priority is to protect the victims,” he said this at a press conference after his working visit to the State Police Headquarters yesterday.
He added that the assistance channelled under Nadma will not only be in the form of financial aid but in the form of basic necessities, shelter, safety and medical.
“The assistance will be channelled to the victims within six hours after the instruction issued. Families who have yet to receive assistance are urged to contact the Nadma officers or other agencies such as the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), Civil Defence Forces (APM) and the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) in order for them to be assisted immediately.
“There may be a possibility of communication cut off which causes delay for assistance to arrive.”
Commenting further, Ahmad Zahid said he received a phone call at 3.33am yesterday from the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng seeking assistance from the Federal Government to mobilise its agencies under the Home Ministry to assist the state government with the disaster faced in the island.
“Lim contacted me again at 12.41pm to inform me that everything have been mobilised.”
Separately, Ahmad Zahid said that his ministry was investigating the issue of illegal gambling syndicate in the country engaging ‘middle man’ and ‘public relation officers’ in its operation.
He stressed that the Inspector-General of Police had assured that the he would not compromise nor provide protection to any enforcement officers and personnel linked to the illegal gambling syndicate.