PENANG DUN | Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has announced that a RM100 million disaster programme dubbed “Penang Bounce Back” will be launched to address the flood issues in the state.
“The fund will be used to assist flood victims to return to their normal lives, and to rebuild and restore Penang,” Lim said while tabling a ministerial statement on the issue at the State Legislative Assembly today.
“An RM500 one-off grant will be provided for the victims of the flood. We will launch the Penang Bounce Back programme on Sunday, Nov 11 and 12,” he added.
According to Lim, the fund will benefit 100,000 households or businesses affected by the disaster statewide.
He added that RM50 million is expected to be spent on the one-off aid package of RM500 for households and businesses, but stressed that each household can only apply for the aid package once.
Lim also noted that the allocation does not include the donations received from the public.
Domestic consumers will also enjoy an exemption of water conservation surcharge for two months (one payment cycle), while water surcharge will be discounted by 50 percent.
This, the chief minister said, would reduce the burden of those affected by facilitating cleaning up activities.
“The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) will give a 25 percent discount on water surcharge for commercial users.
"A 10 percent discount will be imposed on assessment rates for all households, which will be implemented by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP).
"The move will cost the state government RM40 million," Lim said, in his first ministerial statement since taking up office in 2008.
During his speech, Lim called for a one-minute silence to express sympathies to the victims of the flood, which inundated Penang on Nov 4 and 5, and claimed seven lives.
He said that Penang was beaten down by multiple factors which led to the massive floods. These included the heaviest rainfall of 315mm in history, strong winds blowing at 65km per hour, which even resulted in one of the ferries being uplifted unto the concrete area of the Weld Quay jet.
Currently, the task of cleaning up task is underway in flood-affected areas. Penang DAP said it has signed up 1,000 volunteers to help in the situation, and have collected over RM5 million in 64 hours since the party’s donation drive was launched on Nov 6.
Bernama also reported that a total of 3,213 flood victims from 802 families are still seeking shelter at 26 relief centres in two districts in Penang as of this morning.
The news agency quoted a spokesperson for the police's flood operations room as saying the number of displaced persons had declined, with 3,736 flood victims involving 936 families being placed at the relief centres last night.
In the Seberang Perai Utara district, a total of 2,528 people from 589 families are accommodated at 18 relief centres, while 685 people from 213 families are placed at eight temporary relief centres in Seberang Perai Tengah.- Mkini
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