TUMPAT, Jan 1 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday expressed hope that the Kelantan government would give full cooperation to the federal government in efforts to help flood victims in the state.

He said the cooperation would include providing suitable land for the construction of new homes for the victims whose houses were totally destroyed or badly damaged by the floods.               

“We are hoping for the state government’s cooperation to provide a suitable piece of land for us to build new houses for the victims,” he told reporters after attending the New Year thanksgiving programme with flood evacuees at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pengkalan Kubor 2 here  last night.               

Earlier, the prime minister also joined the evacuees in performing Maghrib, Isyak, as well as Hajat prayers, led by Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim) president Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

Also present were International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, who is also Kelantan Disaster Committee chairman, and Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom.

Najib said before the houses could be built, the government would build temporary settlement for the victims.              

However, he said more need to be done, involving short- and long-term plans, to solve flood issues in the country, as losses due to floods were not only suffered by individuals, but also by the state and federal governments.              

“There is no way we can solve this in a short period of time, but maybe we can do it in stages,” he said.                

Meanwhile, the prime minister also reminded all quarters to be more responsible to the environment and not to cut trees for profit or at their whims and fancy.   

“Don’t look at trees as mere profit, trees also have their function. If we betray mother nature, this is the disaster that awaits us,” he added. — Bernama