GOOD NEWS: People living in flood-prone areas in Pengkalan Kubor will be helped by the government
TUMPAT: Floods that have been pounding Pengkalan Kubor during year-end monsoon season will be a thing of the past soon.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim pledged that the government would take immediate measures to sort out problems that have besieged villagers for years.
"The first step will involve upgrading the drainage system as its poor condition is one of the main reasons for the floods," he told reporters after a visit to Kampung Jubakar here during the Pengkalan Kubor by-election campaigning.
Shahidan, who is also the national disaster committee chairman, said the government would draw up a proper plan to mitigate flooding in the area.
"As the minister who is responsible for disaster relief efforts, I have got some solutions on how to reduce their years of burden," he said.
He said he would give priority to Kampung Jubakar which was one of the areas worst-hit by floods based on information he gathered during the visit.
On whether the government would increase aid for flood victims, Shahidan said it will be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the severity of their problems.
"The government does not set a specific limit for its yearly amount of aid to the flood victims including to those affected in Kelantan," he said.
He said the government understood the pain of people affected by disasters that it had no restrictions in allocating bigger relief funds for them.