Donate to disaster-hit states, Penang folk urged

Penang is sending relief items to Kelantan to help flood victims there. – AFP pic, December 27, 2014.

Authorities in Penang have stepped up efforts to deploy aid to victims in flood-hit areas in other parts of the country even as they are put on alert to prepare for possible flooding in the state.

The state is appealing to the public for contributions of relief items to help the more than 132,000 victims, mostly on the east coast of the peninsula.

State executive councillor for welfare, caring society and the environment, Phee Boon Poh today announced that the state has opened up the Caring Society Complex at Jalan Utama on the island, where the welfare department office is sited, for the public to send supplies for the victims from 8am to 5pm every day.

"Please note that we have enough used clothing for distribution," Phee said in a statement.

It is understand that the materials needed include drinking water, sanitary towels, milk powder, nappies for children and adults, and dry foodstuff like biscuits.

Phee said most of the roads leading to disaster areas have been cut off and airline company Firefly has offered to transport relief goods from Penang to Kota Baru.

He said Firefly was spearheading the effort to provide rescue and relief flights to and from Kota Baru and Kuala Terengganu as part of its contribution to channelling emergency assistance to those affected by the floods.

Phee added that the state was now also preparing to handle possible flooding in mainland Seberang Prai.

He said the state welfare department, district offices and Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) are working together to ensure preparations were in accordance with the standard operating procedure for disaster management.

Meanwhile, state executive councillor for local government, Chow Kon Yeow, said a special MPSP task force was on alert in both the southern and northern districts of Seberang Prai.

He said this was because of flooding in Perak and Kedah from where rivers flow into Penang.

He said district engineers with the Drainage and Irrigation Department reported that up untll 6pm yesterday there was no report of flooding in Penang, and were updating him in case of any change in the situation.

Chow, who is Penang DAP chairman, said this at a press conference at the party's headquarters in George Town.

He said the public could bring aid materials and rations to the headquarters in Rangoon Road from noon to 5pm tomorrow for the supplies to be delivered to Kota Baru on Tuesday by Firefly.

The state DAP has set aside RM10,000 to purchase items needed by the victims, he added.

He said a DAP team with himself, adviser Lim Kit Siang, state secretary Lim Hooi Ying, and state executive councillors Phee and Lim Hock Seng would fly to Kota Baru tomorrow morning to show solidarity there and hand over the relief supplies.

On criticism that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was away on holiday while several states were struggling with severe flooding, Chow said the state government and Phee were in constant touch with Lim about state efforts to mobilise relief and aid.

In a Facebook posting this morning, “Friends of BN – Barisan Nasional” said the money allocated by the Penang government to help flood victims can only be channelled "next year" after Lim returns.

It also alleged that Lim was holidaying in Paris on "first class". In a statement last night, Phee said of the RM1.5 million allocated by the state for flood relief management, RM500,000 would be used immediately for essential items like milk powder, sanitary towel and potable water.

- TMI