KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today announced a cash aid of RM500 to each family affected by the current floods.

“As a Member of Parliament whose constituency often floods, I know the difficulties and hardship faced by flood victims.

“To show the government’s concern, I announce a payment of RM500 to each family affected by the floods,” he said in his adjournment speech at the Umno General Assembly 2013 at the Putra World Trade Centre here today.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, also urged all banks in the country to allow flood victims to temporarily defer their loan repayment.

He commended Malayan Banking for being the first commercial bank to allow borrowers affected by the flood to temporarily defer their loan repayments.

Expressing his sympathy to those affected by the floods, especially in the east coast states, the Umno president said his deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, as National Disaster Management Committee chairman, had issued directives to all government departments and agencies to provide the necessary assistance to flood victims.

The floods in Pahang, Terengganu, Johor and Kelantan had forced thousands of residents to be evacuated to higher ground.

The prime minister himself had rushed back to Pahang to observe the situation there immediately after opening the Umno General Assembly on Thursday. — Bernama