Kelantan Disaster Operations Control Centre to investigate, screen data of flood victims, says PM’s Dept state director

KOTA BARU, Dec 9 — The Kelantan State Disaster Operations Control Centre Committee (PKOB) will investigate allegations of certain individuals in the state who moved to relief centres even though their homes were not badly affected by floods.

Kelantan State Development Director under the Prime Minister’s Department Implementation Coordination Unit (PMD ICU) Jasri Kasim said the Kelantan Government Secretary’s Office (SUK) which heads the committee will also do the final screening before flood aid is channelled to eligible victims.

“I will leave that to the Kelantan State PKOB Committee led by the SUK Office assisted by district officials to investigate fairly.

“God willing, help will be given to those who are truly qualified and registered at relief centres,” he said at a press conference after the eKASIH@Kota Lama Tour Programme at Dataran Muhammadi, here today.

Kota Lama state assemblyman Dr Hafidzah Mustakim was also present.

The media previously reported that some flood victims in Kelantan allegedly moved to relief centres even though their homes were not badly affected by the flood disaster, to be entitled to flood relief aid.

Meanwhile, a resident of Kampung Tersang in Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas Mohd Hirwan Rajiuon, 42, said he was one of the flood victims who was badly affected when his home was flooded, with water reaching up to 0.5m high, but he could not move to a relief centre because he was informed that it was full.

“When there is a flood, usually the residents of Kampung Tersang will move to the relief centre at SK Gual To’Deh.

“I find it strange that usually only around 300 residents of Kampung Tersang move to the relief centre, but this time the number is more than 800 victims, I don’t know how the number of flood victims has increased suddenly compared to previous years,” he said when contacted today.

According to Mohd Hirwan, the flood situation around Kampung Tersang and Kampung Gual To’Deh had improved today, but the number of flood victims in PPS SK Gual To’Deh is still high.

“Based on the flood situation today, there should only be around five or six families still affected by the flood, but the number of victims in the relief centre is still high,” he said.

As of 2pm today, 256 victims from 88 families were still housed at SK Gual To’Deh. — Bernama