Najib recalls holidaying ministers to handle floods

All holidaying ministers have been asked to return immediately to deal with the worst floods to hit in the country in decades, as the number of evacuees rises in nine states. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, December 28, 2014.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak has ordered all holidaying ministers to return immediately to deal with the worst floods to hit in the country in decades, as the number of evacuees rises in nine states.

The prime minister himself cut short his US holiday where he played a round of golf with US President Barack Obama in Honolulu on Christmas Eve.

“This decision was made so that they could work to assist in the flood rescue and relief operations," he told a news conference after visiting the flood relief centre at SMK Padang Tengku in Kuala Lipis today.

Najib is visiting flood-hit areas in Pahang.

Meanwhile, the government would not declare a state of emergency in the nine states hit by floods as the situation was still under control.

Head of Governance, Law and Public Administration Cluster, National Council of Professors, Prof Dr Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmood said the focus should be on efforts to help and ensure safety of flood victims.

"The situation is still under control. As for now, the government does not have to issue certain orders, like using private properties for use as evacuation centres,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

The floods, which hit Kelantan, Terengganu, Johor, Pahang, Perak, Kedah, Perlis, Negri Sembilan and Selangor, have so far forced more than 130,000 people to be evacuated.

The number of flood victims in Kelantan stands at 93,407 this morning from more than 80,000 yesterday, while there is little change in Terengganu, Pahang and Perak.

In Kelantan, Kota Baru district has recorded the highest number of flood victims at 42,469.

In Pahang, the number of flood victims dropped slightly to 33,601 as at 8am today from 33,643 last night.

In Terengganu, the number dropped to 33,990 this morning from 34,709 last night in the affected areas, including Kuala Terengganu, Hulu Terengganu and Besut.

In Johor, 475 flood victims from 119 families are still housed at nine relief centres this morning.

In Perak, the number of flood evacuees in Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar, Central Perak and Kerian rose to 7,513 this morning from 7,010 last night.

In Perlis, there were only 34 flood victims still in the relief centre at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Abi, Kangar as at 9am today.

- TMI