YAN, Aug 23 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today announced an immediate aid of RM75 million for Kedah to repair all damaged infrastructure and public facilities in Yan and Merbok following the Gunung Jerai mudflow last Wednesday.
He said the aid included RM50 million allocation from the Ministry of Environment and Water which would be used to upgrade the river and irrigation system covering a distance of 27 kilometres at a cost of RM5 million.
The allocation will also be used to build two new bridges (RM23 million), to construct water treatment plant intakes in Gurun and Tupah (RM2 million), to implement Phase One of Shabo Dam construction (RM20 million) as well as to repair rural tourism facilities and to restore the water supply.
“At the same time, the government through the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) will also channel RM500 to each family affected by the incident.
“An immediate aid of RM5,000 would also be given to the families who lost their loved ones in the incident,” he told a press conference after visiting the areas affected by the mudflow.
Also present were Mentri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor and Nadma director-general Datuk Aminuddin Hassim.
Ismail Sabri said the RM75 million allocation did not include the RM3 million to be channelled through the Ministry of Rural Development to help repair the damaged houses of residents in the two districts.
“I hope the aid will help the state to solve all the problems caused by the Gunung Jerai mudflow,” he said, adding that aid was given based on initial assessment by the state government and additional allocation, if any, would be announced by the mentri besar.
Earlier, the prime minister was also briefed by Muhammad Sanusi on the mudflow tragedy which had claimed six lives and inundated over 1,000 houses in the two districts. — Bernama
