Johor state rep appeals to govt to speed up post-flood aid for Sri Medan residents
ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 20 — A Johor state assemblyman appealed to the government to speed up the post-flood aid for affected residents, especially in hard-hit flood areas.
Sri Medan assemblyman Datuk Zulkurnain Kamisan described the state’s flood disaster as the worst that happened in the past 37 years.
He said residents from his constituency in Sri Medan are seriously affected following the destruction of their property and losing their livelihood after the agricultural plots were flooded.
“Come to Sri Medan, you will cry when you see the massive destruction caused by the recent floods.
“As an example, in Jalan Parit Warijo almost 99 per cent of the residents’ houses were completely submerged by the flood waters.
“Usually, the floods are no more than knee-deep, but this time round the floods submerged the roof of houses.
“I can’t bear to see the sadness of the residents in Sri Medan,” said Zulkurnain at the Johor state assembly in Kota Iskandar here today.
Zulkurnain also urged both the state and federal governments to immediately act on the post-flood aid that was previously announced.
He said that post-flood aid was urgently required but was informed that it may take three to four months to reach the intended flood victims.
“The Sri Medan residents are devasted as more than 90 per cent of their homes are damaged.
“This includes the destruction of all their furniture, clothes and belongings,” he said.
Zulkurnain also called for the immediate implementation of the flood mitigation project in Sri Medan.
“Previously, RM42 million was allocated for the flood mitigation project in the Sungai Simpang Kiri area that is yet to be implemented.
“There was also a plan to build eight pump houses, but nothing has been done yet,” he said.
Zulkurnain said such plans and its implementation have been discussed many times, without any success.
He also suggested that the government consider the construction of the Sri Medan Dam to reduce the effects of severe flooding as the area’s terrain is in a catchment area.
Meanwhile, Zulkurnain appealed for more volunteers to come to Sri Medan to assist the residents, especially in the post-flood clean up.
The recent flood disaster in Johor became the main topic that dominated most of the oral and supplementary questions and debates by state assemblymen at the state legislative assembly today.
At its peak earlier this month, more than 85,000 people in Johor were reported to have been affected by the flood disaster.
The floods in Johor has been described as among the worst flood disaster to have hit the state, with Batu Pahat being the worst affected district involving about 50,000 victims.
