KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today announced that a Special Parliamentary sitting is scheduled for January 20 to discuss the recent devastating floods that displaced thousands and killed over 50 people.

In a statement this evening, Ismail said that the Special Meeting of the Fourth Term of the 14th Parliament session for the Dewan Rakyat is in line with Standing Order 11(3) and has already gotten approval from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

He said that the special sitting will also see discussions on post-flood efforts, coordination of aid to the public and long-term flood mitigation planning.

"This special meeting is important to provide space for the government to explain to the people about the government’s actions and plans to address flood issues. This session is also the best platform for MPs to get feedback on the flood issues,” Ismail added.

On Monday, Bernama reported that the number of flood victims seeking shelter at relief centres (PPS) in Pahang, Johor, Melaka, Negri Sembilan and Sabah had risen, following torrential rain.

The report cited the Pahang State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat reporting 2,188 flood victims at 51 temporary relief centres (PPS) in eight districts there.

Of the total, 1,421 people are victims of the second wave of floods with Lipis district registering the highest number of evacuees at 553 people followed by Rompin (340) and Raub (278).

In Melaka, Bernama reported that the number of evacuees rose to 2,537 people, involving 656 families as of 8am, from 1,778 people (462 families) at 8pm on January 2.

In Johor, the report said that the number of flood victims increased to 3,841 involving six districts, compared with 2,553 people the day before.

In Sabah, the number of evacuees continued to rise, with 2,435 people from 874 families on the morning of January 3, compared to 1,823 people from 599 families from the night before.

The Sabah Disaster Management Secretariat reportedly said that 23 PPS have been opened in six districts in the state since last Friday.

The affected districts are Kota Marudu with 1,973 people from 520 families at 12 PPS; Paitan (97 people from 23 families at three PPS); Pitas, (79 people from 22 families at two PPS); Sandakan (197 people from 42 families at two PPS); Telupid (51 people from eight families at two PPS and Beluran (38 people from 10 families at one PPS.

Bernama reported that in Negri Sembilan, updates on the Welfare Department’s (JKM) InfoBencana application showed that that the number of flood victims at 22 PPS in the state had increased to 2,041 individuals from 554 families as of 7am on January 3, compared with 1,892 from 505 families the night before.