PEKAN, Jan 18 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today the cabinet had accepted the proposals from the national disaster management committee on improving managing floods, including implementing an early warning system and flood-mitigation projects.

He said in line with this effort, the government would ask the Malaysian Meteorological Department and Drainage and Irrigation Department to use the latest and sophisticated technology to ensure a more efficient and effective flood management system.

“The government will also consider the proposal for a flood-mitigation project in flood-hit Kemaman involving a cost of RM480 million and at Sungai Isap (Kuantan) costing RM700 million.

“Besides that, procuring additional assets like boats and high-performance trucks which can go into flooded areas will also be considered while this will involve a high cost.”

Najib said this in his speech at the presentation of aid to flood victims in the Pekan parliamentary constituency, here.

He also advised the people to make early preparations, depending on their capacity, to avoid a worse situation during the wet season.

“We must practise the principle of ‘sediakan payung sebelum hujan’ (saving money for a rainy day) to avoid facing a more difficult situation,” he said.

Najib also reminded the people against blaming others for the recent floods because it was a natural phenomenon afflicting the whole world, including developed nations like the United States.

“In the case of Jabor, Terengganu, the global climatic change had brought an extraordinary amount of rainfall. Normally, about 350mm of rain will fall in a month at the end of the year there. But, 777mm of rain fell within a day on December 2.

“Imagine, twice the amount of rainfall in a day...this is the phenomenon that has befallen us.

“As such, we cannot blame anybody except to make preparations to mitigate the impact of the flood disaster,” he said.

At the ceremony, Najib handed over RM750 in cash (RM500 from the federal government and RM350 from the state government), refrigerator, mattress, pillows, gas stove and television to each of 1,540 families, who were victims of floods in Pekan in December.

Najib, who is also Pekan member of parliament, also contributed an electric rice cooker to each of the families. Also present were state assembly speaker Datuk Ishak Mohammad and 1 Malaysia Putra Club