IPOH, April 26 — The state government hopes Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim can see and evaluate for himself the water level at the Bukit Merah Dam which is declining because of the effects of the El Nino phenomenon.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said he was informed of the visit by the minister to the area soon which was also affecting the farmers.

“The secretary of the NSC (National Security Council) (Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad) earlier explained that it was no longer under his jurisdiction but was placed under the jurisdiction of the new disaster unit which was set up at the level of the Prime Minister’s Department.

“Whichever unit it is under, we hope the Minister concerned can come down and personally evaluate the current situation,” he said.

He said this to reporters after witnessing the signing of the memorandum of academic understanding between Kolej Universiti Islam Sultan Azlan Shah (Kuisas) and the London School of Business and Management, here today.

The memorandum was signed between Kuisas Rector Tan Sri Prof Dr Nordin Kardi and the London School of Business and Management Director Robert Hartley with the cooperation of the University of Northampton.

Zambry said an immediate solution must be found because it involved farmers who were facing difficulty in getting water supply for paddy planting involving about 5,000 hectares.

“The federal government can declare the area as being affected by a disaster to help the paddy farmers and those whose income are affected,” he said.

He added that the Bukit Merah Dam formed a water retention area for paddy farmers in the Kerian district and was placed under the Kerian and Sungai Manik plan.

“The state government had informed the federal government about the situation and the declaration of a disaster was under the purview of the federal government,” he said.

Meanwhile, Zambry reiterated that May 6 was not a public holiday in Perak as widely spread in the social websites recently.

“The announcement of the holiday is totally false and it was a statement issued last year in conjunction with the coronation of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah at that time,” he said.

Yesterday, Perak State Secretary Datuk Seri Abdul Puhat Mat Nayan told Bernama that there would be no public holiday in Perak on May 6. — Bernama