The Petaling Jaya Utara MP noted that Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is currently in charge in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s absence, only plans on meeting the nation’s crisis management arm tomorrow even as reports continue to pour in of worsening conditions across the country.

In a statement here, Pua said not only did Muhyiddin choose not to declare a state of emergency in the flood-hit states, the deputy prime minister also did not appear to show a sense of urgency by cracking the whip on the National Security Council (NSC).

He said declaring an emergency would have at least allowed a large scale mobilisation of government machinery to help resolve and mitigate the flood disaster, said to be Malaysia’s worst in decades.

“Every member of the NSC should be available at a moment’s notice to attend an emergency meeting to update and discuss plans to manage the massive woes facing the rakyat. 

“Given the scale of the crisis, NSC should have been meeting on a daily basis to cope with managing and directing the gigantic government bureaucracy as highlighted by Datuk Seri Mustapa,” the DAP national publicity secretary said in a statement, referring to Umno Kelantan chief Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

Mustapa had said “quick and precise instructions have to be issued by an experienced leader” in coordinating a natural disaster of this magnitude, adding that there must be a commander capable of handling several departments simultaneously.

Earlier today, state news agency Bernama reported that Muhyiddin flew into flood-ravaged Kelantan and ordered the deployment of more helicopters, boats and land vehicles to reach and help the affected people.

Describing the floods as worse than anticipated, he said the air, water and land transportation assets currently deployed were inadequate to face the floods of such proportions.

He had also ordered that food and other supplies at all flood relief centres be raised from the present three-day stock to one week to avert a shortage.

Pua said the fact that Muhyiddin has not met with NSC despite the rapidly worsening flood crisis which started almost two weeks ago, “proves the complete failure of the government”.

He also said Najib has “no choice but to return to the country with his golf irons immediately to ‘beat’ the members of his Cabinet and National Security Council into shape”.

“The Cabinet and Council must not rest until the flood disaster is over,” he added.

Najib was last reported to be in Hawaii on a personal holiday.

At press time, the number of total evacuees went up to 90,546 with the most evacuees in Terengganu 29,509, followed by Pahang 29,296 and Kelantan 25,146.

Perak also has 6,065 evacuees, Perlis 220, Johor 214 and Kedah 96.

Three deaths have been recorded in Kelantan during this round of floods while four deaths were recorded more than a week ago in Terengganu when the first wave of floods hit the country.