KUALA TERENGGANU: The question over the whereabouts of Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, with the east coast state hit by floods, has been answered.
State disaster management committee deputy chairman Hanafiah Mat confirmed that Samsuri is flying back from New Zealand today.
However, he could not confirm when the menteri besar would arrive.
"Insha Allah, the menteri besar will be back from New Zealand today, but at what time I am not sure.
"Nonetheless, as the deputy chairman of the state disaster management committee, I am satisfied with what has been done on the ground (to address the flood issues) and at the temporary evacuation centres.
"All assemblymen and `wakil rakyat' have carried out their duties well. So, there is no issue of the menteri besar's absence because everything is under control."
Former Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam had claimed that Samsuri was holidaying abroad despite the state being hit by floods.
Meanwhile, Kelab Sahabat Ma'ruuf Terengganu (KSMT) secretary Imran Azmi said all leaders should remain in the state throughout the monsoon season, which usually occurs at the end of the year.
"The absence of any state leader, let alone the menteri besar, when the people are in chaos due to the floods should not happen.
"Regardless of why he did not go down to meet the flood victims, an explanation is needed so that it will not cause prejudice among the people of the state," he said.
Samsuri was last seen in the state when he accompanied Sultan Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin and Sultanah Terengganu Sultanah Nur Zahirah to Universiti Malaysia Terengganu's (UMT) 20th Convocation on Dec 11.
A day before the event, he had visited flood victims at several temporary flood relief centres in Chendering and Tok Jembal.