Flood victims to get RM500 cash aid, says Najib

Datuk Seri Najib Razak presenting his winding up speech in Umno's general assembly today. The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari.Faced with growing criticism over his government's handling of the flood situation, Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak (pic) today announced a RM500 aid to all flood victims.

In his winding up speech in the general assembly today, Najib said the aid is for all flood victims in the East Coast states and Johor.

The prime minister also appealed to banks to defer loan repayments for those affected by the floods, which to date have displaced more than 40,000 people in four states.

Najib and the Umno leadership have been criticised by social media users for their late response to the floods.

He, however, cut short his attendance at the general assembly on Wednesday to visit flood victims, while Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin visited the affected area the next day.

"As an MP whose area frequently floods I am very sympathetic to the plight of flood victims," said Najib in his closing speech at the assembly.