Johor PKR Women's leader Napsiah Khamis has cried foul after she was allegedly prevented from distributing aid at a Pagoh flood relief centre while wearing PKR's colours, only to see former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin descend on the scene in Perikatan Nasional attire.
Napsiah said that she has been carrying out flood relief activities in Johor, both as a PKR member and as chairperson of the charity Bidadari.
"On Sunday, we were told by our PKR members inside the flood relief centre at the Dewan Serbaguna Pagoh that there were not enough supplies and that the flood victims had to fork out their own cash at a time when they were desperate.
"We felt very sorry for them because when the flood comes, you don't have time to take your things, even cash.
"Those inside were short of many basic items including diapers and sanitary pads," Napsiah told Malaysiakini.
She had in November spoken out on the issue of period poverty in Malaysia, saying that it has been something she has worked on for years, in response to Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid’s claim that it was not an issue in Malaysia.
She said that when her team first arrived at the flood relief centre in a Hilux full of supplies, they were welcomed.
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'The Disaster Management Committee is aware of our flood relief work and a Rela officer at the site welcomed us in, saying the supplies were much needed.
"However, after a while, an official told us that we could not enter the premises to deliver aid while wearing clothes bearing the PKR logo.
"We were disappointed but went outside, only to find out that Muhyiddin was arriving," said Napsiah.
She said it was quite a coincidence that they happened to be visiting at the same time.
"But what is really angering is that Muhyiddin was then walking around and greeting flood victims, all the while wearing a PN cap and shirt," she said
Napsiah said she then entered wearing a Bidadari top and approached Muhyiddin to ask about the double standards, but he did not reply and she was escorted away from him.
She claimed that her group of around 10 volunteers and party members were not allowed to stay even in the compound.
"We faithfully waited outside the hall until Muhyiddin's entourage left the hall because we were promised that we would be able to unload the goods after he left.
"We then saw a car from his entourage calling the police and giving instructions - and sure enough, the police told us again that it was an instruction that no NGO or political party can send aid without the express permission of the district officer.
"I told him - 'Sir, the victims in this place don't have anything, people need help right away, this is a disaster'," Napsiah said.
She said that she was briefly permitted to drop off some diapers but was reprimanded again for slipping chocolates to some of the children in the flood centre.
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Malaysiakini is seeking a response from the Muar District Office on this matter.
Earlier, in a similar incident, six Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) flood relief volunteers in Segamat, Johor, were questioned by police over an alleged breach of the procedure while delivering assistance inside a government temporary shelter.
Muar MP and Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said that the reason they were questioned was that they had delivered assistance directly to individuals who requested help at relief centres and some homes. - Mkini
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