IPOH, Jan 5 — The federal government will not be looking into the introduction of purpose-built evacuation centres as yet, in the face of the worst flooding incident in recent history.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said centres specifically built for evacuation during times of natural disaster was not viable at the moment.

He said the centres might not be serving a purpose to the people when there was no necessary evacuations.

“For instance, Kelantan’s only previous flooding disaster that occurred on this scale happened 88 years ago in 1926,” he said.

“While we wait for the next flood, we will be losing out as the centres will be empty,” he said, during a visit to the SK Padang Changkat relocation centre in Bota here yesterday.

Shahidan said evacuation centres should also serve other purposes when there was no reason for a large-scale evacuation process.

“If and when there is a necessity to relocate the people to the centres for any disasters, we shall do so accordingly,” he said.

Shahidan, who is also National Security Council (NSC) chairman, visited two other evacuation centres in the Perak Tengah district.

He expressed his satisfaction with the conditions of the centres, adding that the general management of the flood relief efforts in Pahang, Terengganu, and Perak was up to scratch.

Shahidan reassured that food supplies for flood victims were more than sufficient, with Kelantan receiving the highest amount of aid so far.

He also spoke out against the irresponsible deforestation activities in Kelantan which had been blamed for the massive floods that hit the state.

He said large scale illegal logging in the state — especially in Lojing and Gua Musang — was one of the reasons why the state had been badly affected by the disaster.

“The floods in Kelantan have been something out of the ordinary. We have never seen flooding in the area on this level since the 1920s,” he said.

“It was different then as there were trees all over the state and the waters rose slowly.

“But this time the waters rose with an almost violent ferocity. It is almost like mother nature was furious because of the rampant logging activities.”

Shahidan warned that the state would experience similar devastation in the future if the deforestation problem was not dealt with.

“This can happen again if the necessary funds are not allocated for reforestation purposes. Merely depending on flood mitigation systems will not be enough,” he said.

He said enforcement agencies in charge of the state’s forests needed to step up their game.

“I will ask (Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib Razak if the federal government can help the state government to restore the state’s forests, and also to reclaim land that has been removed from forest reserves,” Shahidan said.

“The state government will need to replant the trees that have been cut down, including in oil palm plantations that were set up illegally.”

He suggested for a construction of a dam nearby Gua Musang to lessen the impact of future floods.