Getting ready for the next big one

The star
BY LOH FOON FONG

 

KUALA BETIS: At the Kuala Betis orang asli settlement RPS Block C in Kelantan, donated tents and bamboo huts line the sides of the narrow tarred road leading into the village.

Many flood victims are still staying inside these tents and huts since the devastating floods late last year.

Alang Jambu, a Temiar, whose home is now a makeshift bamboo hut, lives in Kampung Sentep with his wife and four children.

“A tiger appeared near our tent in the wee hours of the morning about two months ago,” he said.

“It was frightening but fortunately, we were not harmed,” Alang said, adding that since then, they would build a camp fire every night to keep wild animals away.

Despite the challenges they faced, the 44-year-old and his family had planted 1ha of tapioca for the villagers.

Recalling Dec 22 when the heavy rains began, Alang said his family moved to nearby Kampung Angkek three days later when Sungai Nenggiri in front of their house overflowed.

“I had to swim and walk to Kuala Betis town to buy groceries,” he said, adding that the hanging bridge in nearby Kampung Podek collapsed, too.

He wrapped a packet of sugar, tea and cooking oil in a sarong swung over his shoulder and swam back, but the sugar was soaked by that time.

“It was difficult. I had to dive into floodwaters to feel my way through and pull out some tapioca that could still be eaten,” he said.

Open to the elements: Children playing near their flood-damaged house in Kampung Sentep, Kuala Betis. Kelantan. (Bottom) Alang drying bamboo sheets for the walls of his new house in the village.

Alang said their ancestors had warned them of bah merah (big red flood) that might recur but the recent disaster seemed more severe as it was filled with mud, silt and rotting wood.

He said the orang asli had to drink water from the river that was polluted by logging activities, resulting in many of them suffering skin allergies and illnesses.

The authorities had provided an underground water pump in 2012 but it stopped working after three months. “And, despite reports made, it had not been repaired,” he claimed.

“Thirty years ago, the water from the river was clean and we could fish. We could easily catch the kelah fish without travelling far into the interiors,” he added.

Like many other orang asli villagers, Alang said they had written letters to the state government, police, Land Office and Department of Orang Asli Development about their problems.

While Alang was fortunate that he had received building materials for a new house on Feb 20 from a non-governmental organisation, many others still have not gotten anything yet.

Asked why his house was built within the flood-affected site, 15m away from his old house, he said the NGO did not have machinery to take building materials uphill.

For this reason, his family had built a bamboo hut in Kampung Angkek in the event of another disaster.

Sisters Lisa Rosman, 25, and Nana, 22, said they still did not have a house.

Lisa said they could not afford to buy the tools to build one.

“It is not comfortable living in the tent, and we want to live in a wooden house,” she said.

In Kampung Podek, a group of women and children sat in a makeshift bamboo hut and chatted. Across the road stood a tent where they would spend the night.

Aizam Rosli, 32, merely shrugged her shoulders and said “I don’t know” when asked when her house would be built.

“We don’t have the money,” said the mother of four who, like many orang asli there, ate only tapioca and vegetables for their daily meals.

Her cousin Katijah Asim, 21, who also slept in the same tent that could fit two families, said she hoped that the authorities would build their houses soon.

Flood-hit homes being repaired

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: Repair work on flood-damaged homes of orang asli has begun but the building of houses to replace those destroyed is still being sorted out.

Department of Orang Asli Development director-general Datuk Hasnan Hassan gave his assurance that repairs would be completed by the third week of April.

As for the rebuilding of the houses that were completely destroyed, he said he could not say when as this was being carried out by the Public Works Department (JKR).

“We handed the list of names of those affected to the National Security Council in January,” he said.

The Star reported on Monday that orang asli houses at the Temengor Dam in Perak remained submerged, three months after severe floods hit several states.

The flood victims were seen still living in tents and makeshift bamboo huts.

According to the department’s records, 40,000, or 20%, of the 205,000 orang asli in the peninsula were affected by the floods, which occurred between Dec 5 and Jan 5.

The total number of houses needing repairs was 267 – 137 in Pahang, 29 in Perak and 101 in Kelantan – at a cost of RM1.37mil, RM290,000 and RM1.01mil, respectively.

As for houses which needed to be rebuilt, the total was 172 – 57 in Pahang, 26 in Perak and 89 in Kelantan – costing RM1.248mil, RM2.736mil and RM4.272mil, respectively.

However, none of the orang asli houses has been rebuilt so far.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the Department of Orang Asli Development, the state governments and the National Security Council (MKN) were in the process of co-ordinating and verifying ownerships and land titles.

Hasnan said rebuilding work should not be delayed anymore as the people were suffering.

Datuk Zaki Ansore Mohd Yusof, head of the Post Flood Recovery Unit set up by the Cabinet, said construction of houses for owners who had their own land could be completed before the fasting month begins on June 18 but those who did not have land would have to wait longer.

As for the special land rights of the orang asli, he said the unit would liaise with the district officers and Works Ministry.

He said it would be less strict on insisting on land titles, as most orang asli did not have them.

As of yesterday, he said the unit had recorded a total of 2,200 houses to be built for flood victims nationwide, including for orang asli.

Zaki Ansore said 382 houses were already in the process of construction while 192 out of the 6,700 houses had been repaired.

Orang asli homes lie in the lake

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG

Published: Monday April 6, 2015 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Monday April 6, 2015 MYT 8:35:32 AM

Orang asli homes lie in the lake

BY LOH FOON FONG

In need of help: Berlaun and his family members looking at the their submerged house (in the background) at the Temengor Dam at Kampung Tebang Lama, in Gerik, Perak.

GERIK: Many orang asli houses at the Temengor Dam in Perak remainsubmerged in water three months after severe floods hit several states.

The water level at the dam, known as the Temengor Lake, has not gone down to the level before the start of the floods on Dec 25.

Many villagers are still living in tents and makeshift bamboo huts as their houses have not been repaired or rebuilt.

At the Jehai village of Tebang Lama, for example, two houses are still under water while another is badly damaged.

Berlaun, 48, has not rebuilt his house, which had been flooded up to the roof, because he was overwhelmed by “so many things to do”.

“I have to replant rubber trees and tapioca first,” said the father of seven, who is now living with one of his children.

He erected his house three years ago. “I want to build a new home on higher ground, but I do not have the money to buy the tools.”

Berlaun’s house was 80m from the lake. The water level rose and flooded up to 100m inland and has now receded only by 20m.

Villager Azman Luntin, 39, who has been living in a makeshift bamboo hut for last three months with his family, said the water was going down too slowly.

His house, which was originally 100m away from the lake, was a wreck.

“Whenever I get a bit of money from produce collected from the jungle, I will buy nails,” he said.

He added that he would need more than 200 nails, a saw and a hammer to build a new home.

He said he had asked the De­­partment of Orang Asli Development for assistance to build a house and buy a generator, clothes, wok and other basic necessities destroyed in the floods. “But I have not heard from them.”

A villager whose house is still totally submerged, Pinjak Tengas, in his 50s, said he could not afford to rebuild his home.

He has difficulty getting enough jungle produce and fish to sell due to pollution from logging and plantation activities.

“I feel there is no hope. What is there to look forward to?” he said.

In Kampung Chuweh, 12 houses remain submerged and three others are badly damaged.

Village head Kawah, 50, said the community had asked Tenaga Nasional Bhd to release the water further but it had not receded much..

“I am worried that if it rains heavily again the water at the dam will hit us even though we are now on higher ground,” he said.

Mazlan Pandak, 29, said the water was about 7m higher than the original level, and 5m away from their homes, compared to 10m before the floods.

The father of five said: “We want the water to return to its original le­­vel because we need the land space to build more homes.

“The houses are already very close to one another and there is not much space left to build new homes.”

He said the Government had yet to build new houses for them as promised.

Meanwhile, the people of Kam­­pung Tebang Baru are still living in tents on a higher ground after five houses built for the hardcore poor were badly damaged by the floods.

An orang asli Network committee member Mohd Affendi Along said the names of people affected by the floods had been sent to the Department of Orang Asli Development but no rebuilding or repair work had been done in the Jehai villages.

Grandpas love to work in disaster areas

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG

PETALING JAYA: Two grandfathers have no qualms about sweating it out and getting themselves dirty just to help flood victims in the east coast return to their normal life.

Disaster Aid Australia response team (DART) member Dave Tuzewski, 69, from Adelaide, and Disaster Aid USA ambassador and DART member Tore Knos, 65, from Los Angeles, were in Kelantan and Pahang from Jan 13 to 25 to set up 50 tents and two portable water filters for those affected by the massive floods.

Where most in their age group would have retired to a slower pace of life, they said they would seize every opportunity to be involved in disaster assistance.

“The joy of seeing people’s faces and them grasping your hand to say ‘thank you’ is so overwhelming. But I would tell them to thank their sponsors,” said Tuzewski at The Starheadquarters here yesterday.

Disaster Aid Malaysia (DAM), which was set up last year, had its first deployment when it sent the two highly trained DART members to carry out a needs assessment for a post-flood relief rebuilding communities programme.

Together with the Red Crescent Society, Nanyang Foundation and the Rotary Clubs of Kota Baru and Temerloh, they scouted some of the worst-hit areas, such as Kuala Krai, Kampung Guchil, Temangan, the Kuala Betis orang asli villages, Pulau Seratus, Pulau Renjuna and Kampung Teluk Renjuna.

Spacious shelter: Tuzewski (in white shirt) and Knos (third from left) demonstrating how to set up a survival tent at Menara Star in Petaling Jaya. With them are (from left) Rotary Club of USJ past president Looi Kok Kheong, Rotary Club of Bandar Utama honorary secretary Janice Lim, DAM founder K.G. Tan and DAM member Judy Chong.

Besides bringing family survival packs comprising huge tents and essential tools, together with water filters that could churn out 10,000 litres of water a day for a whole community, the two also trained volunteers on disaster aid.

Knos, who has a son, a daughter and a grandson, provided disaster assistance to war victims in South Sudan in 2012 and Typhoon Haiyan victims in Panay Island, Philippines, in 2013, while Tuzewski, who has two sons and two granddaughters, helped typhoon victims in the Philippines in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Asked why they were passionate about volunteer work, Tuzewski said he had been involved in community service for most of his adult life while Knos said he wanted to give back to society in a bigger way after he retired four years ago.

They brought with them a wealth of experience which they could use to assist the people. Knos, a Rotarian of 10 years, is a master contractor, while Tuzewski, a Rotarian of more than 30 years, is a business consultant.

On how they kept fit, Tuzewski, whose diet is mainly fish and vegetables, said he walked 3km every morning to his gymnasium and did a 45-minute workout before walking back home. He also cycles in the mountains.

Knos prefers to take walks with his wife to the beach or cycle.

Floods: Over 5,000 Health Ministry staff affected

the star
BY LOH FOON FONG

PUTRAJAYA: More than 5,000 Health Ministry staff were affected by the recent massive floods in the east coast states with losses to health facilities estimated at RM387mil.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said some of the staff's houses were swept away or inundated and most of their belongings were destroyed.

“Some of them moved to evacuation centres while others stayed with relatives.

“Despite our predicament, we still have to continue providing services to the people,” he said when launching a fund for the affected employees.

Dr Subramaniam started the fund rolling with a donation of RM10,000. His deputy, Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya, contributed RM7,000.

The floods, which started on Dec 26, were the worst in recent history to have hit the east coast and Perak.

Dr Subramaniam said the ministry could not contact 60% of its staff at the peak of the floods in Kelantan due to communication and transport breakdown. Many were trapped in hospitals or clinics.

He thanked the staff who worked relentlessly to care for patients and also saved millions of ringgit worth of equipment and medicine from being destroyed.

He said the staff worked in a spirit of togetherness, including specialists who turned up in shorts and boots to clean clinics and hospitals.

So far, he said, 15 community clinics were destroyed while four hospitals, 108 clinics and one health office were badly damaged. Losses were estimated at RM387mil.

Dr Subramaniam said the number of confirmed leptospirosis and melioidosis infections – reported to be 126 and 20 respectively from Jan 1 to 22 – was still worrying.

In view of the cost-cutting measures that the Prime Minister announced recently, the ministry had to reduce its operations expenditure by about RM500,000, he said.

Explain deforestation, Kelantan told

The star
BY LOH FOON FONG

The Crisis Relief Squad MCA (CRSM) had discovered that a vast stretch of land and hills were cleared during its journey to Gua Musang and Kuala Betis in Kelantan on Jan 13, 2015 to deliver food to the orang asli.

 

KUALA LUMPUR: The Crisis Relief Squad MCA (CRSM) has called on the Kelantan government to explain the deforestation in Gua Musang and Kuala Betis.

Its chairman Datuk Lua Choon Hann said the CRSM team that delivered food to orang asli living there was shocked to find vast swathes of land and hills destroyed.

“The state government must enlighten us on the deforestation there.

“We want a definite answer as to whether the deforestation was legally carried out,” he said at a press conference here.

Lua said the deforestation could have been among the causes of the recent severe floods.

Two days before going to the orang asli villages on Jan 13, CRSM informed Barisan Nasional secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor that the people there were stranded without food.

Following this, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said he had sent the army to clear the roads and a helicopter to bring food to the villagers.

Lua said the forest destruction had damaged the environment and badly affected the livelihood of the orang asli.

“We want a committee to be set up to investigate the deforestation,” he said, adding that CRSM also wanted development to prioritise orang asli livelihood.

Recalling the relief mission, Lau said that upon receiving news that more than 2,000 orang asli villagers were stranded in Gua Musang and Kuala Betis, CRSM dispatched 12 members in five four-wheel-drive vehicles carrying six tonnes of food.

He said the journey was challenging due to landslides and fallen trees that made the roads inaccessible.

“What was supposed to be a two to three-hour journey took us seven hours.

“We had no choice but to set up a second station and the orang asli had to walk 10 hours out of their villages,” he said.

Lau said other voluntary groups had also delivered food to the orang asli.

Cabinet looking into construction of dams to mitigate severity of flooding

The STar
BY MERGAWATI ZULFAKAR, LOH FOON FONG, ZUHRIN AHMAD, MAZWIN NIK ANIS, SIMON KHOO, NIK NAIZI HUSIN,JOSEPH KAOS JR, D. KANYAKUMARI, M. KUMAR, NURBAITI HAMDAN, HEMANANTHANI SIVANANDAM, CHIANG KAH YEE, AND ALICIA WONG HUI YIN

PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet is looking into several long-term solutions, including the construction of dams, to mitigate the severity of flooding.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has also ordered a review of all standard operating procedures and asset deployment strategy du­ring floods.

Sources said the Prime Minister wanted to ensure that the authorities were well-equipped should floods of similar severity occur again.

The Cabinet, he said, was looking at the idea of building dams as it could control peak flows, provide clean water for drinking and irrigation for farming.

Dams could also provide hydro­electricity, while the reservoir ­created could serve as ecotourism attractions.

On temporary housing for flood victims, Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the Cabinet was considering several options, including allowing them to use 2,250 units of houses built under the Housing for the Hardcore Poor Programme (PPRT) in Gua Musang, Kelantan, Kuala Terengganu, as well as Pahang’s Temerloh and Maran.

“We are also looking at providing them with cabins or making use of government quarters and National Service camps as efforts to rebuild houses are underway,” Rahman added.

Another Cabinet member said the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa had been directed to determine the roles and responsibilities of ministries and agencies in the aftermath of the massive floods that hit several states.

“He will decide and determine which agency will be doing what. The urgent thing is to provide immediate temporary shelters for victims.

“The Chief Secretary will have to gather all the necessary data to start the process of rebuilding and reconstruction,” the minister said.

With the new school term starting soon, the minister said he was confident most schools would be able to open in time.

“True, many school furniture were destroyed in the floods but the Government, its agencies and civil servants are working round the clock to get the schools to reopen for the new session,” he added.

National Security Council secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab said the number of houses in Kelantan that were destroyed was 2,660, Terengganu (20) and Perak (17).

“This number could possibly rise because we have not seen the full disaster in Pahang,” he added.

On temporary shelter, Mohamed Thajudeen said the council had put up 100 tents in Gua Musang and planned to put up another 100 at the Sungai Durian army camp.

“Each tent can house between four and six people and has running water, electricity, toilet and bathroom,” he added.

Health D-G: Outbreaks under control

PETALING JAYA: There are close to 13,000 cases of flood-related infectious diseases at relief centres in the devastated east coast states but no deaths so far.

Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 12,765 flood victims were diagnosed with infectious diseases as of Monday.

He said the common diseases treated at the centres were acute respiratory infection, skin problem and fever.

The other infectious ailments monitored for were acute gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis, hand-foot-mouth disease, leptospirosis, dengue, typhoid, chicken pox and other notifiable diseases, he added.

“The outbreaks are well controlled with no cases requiring admission,” he said yesterday.

Dr Noor Hisham said there were 10 episodes of food poisoning where the victims were reported to have consumed food prepared more than four hours earlier but there had been no E. coli outbreaks so far.

He said 793 food handlers at relief centres had been vaccinated for typhoid.

“We will continue monitoring the infectious diseases in the centres and in the community as many victims have already returned to their homes,” Dr Noor Hisham added.

He said the active surveillance would continue for at least a month as some diseases had a long incubation period.

He said two helicopters were on standby for the ministry to use for critical cases.

Dr Noor Hisham also advised flood victims to take care of their mental and emotional health.

In Kota Baru, a Health Ministry statement said there had been 54 food poisoning cases since the flood started.

The number of people seeking consultation for acute gastroenteritis had increased from 240 to 280 a week. There were, however, not many cases of cholera or typhoid recorded in Kelantan, the statement said yesterday.

“Officials have inspected and sanitised 20,212 houses in 617 villages and disinfected 15,472 wells and 9,508 premises. Hand sanitisers were also handed out to the people in these areas,” the statement added.

Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital infectious diseases physician Dr Alwi Muhd Besari said the most common diseases treated by the hospital included typhoid or enteric fever, leptospirosis and melioilosis.

“About a month ago, we only had three patients with typhoid, one with leptospirosis and three with melioilosis,” he said, adding that the number had almost tripled since the floods.

A spokesperson for Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II said there had been more cases of typhoid fever, leptospirosis, food poisoning and diarrhoea.

“The numbers have already doubled since the floods started,” she said, but did not give exact statistics.

She feared there were many infected people who were not seeking treatment.

Clean-up exercise likely to cost Government RM20mil

BY MERGAWATI ZULFAKAR, LOH FOON FONG, ZUHRIN AHMAD, MAZWIN NIK ANIS, SIMON KHOO, NIK NAIZI HUSIN,JOSEPH KAOS JR, D. KANYAKUMARI, M. KUMAR, NURBAITI HAMDAN, HEMANANTHANI SIVANANDAM, CHIANG KAH YEE, AND ALICIA WONG HUI YIN

PUTRAJAYA: The clean-up exercise in the flood-affected states of Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu is likely to set back the Federal Government by about RM200mil.

Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said it would cost RM78mil to clean up public areas and amenities in areas under local authorities in Kelantan alone.

The ministry has yet to receive estimates from the Pahang and Terengganu governments but expects the cost to be at least RM50mil each.

“We have already raised the issue with the National Disaster Committee headed by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and we suggested that the money required to handle post-flood clean-up be placed under the National Security Council.

“We have already started the exercise in Kelantan on Tuesday, with the help of the local authorities, Fire and Rescue Department personnel and volunteers,” he said after flagging off a volunteer team heading for Kelantan.

The 270-strong team comprised Umno’s Urban Affairs Secretariat (SHEB) and non-governmental organisation #TeamRD which will be cleaning up schools in Kuala Krai.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has tasked the ministry to lead the clean-up exercise in states severely hit by the floods.

During the 2007 floods, the mi­­nistry spent RM90mil to clean up affected areas in Malacca and Johor.

Rahman said the ministry’s target was to complete the clean-up before the school session starts next week, adding that hospitals were also a priority as the need for medical services was high.

“Our other concern is to remove animal carcasses to prevent people from being exposed to more health risks,” he said.

The authorities were also determining the extent of damage the floods had on landfills, Rahman said.

'Disaster tourists' clogging up roads, hampering relief efforts

BY BEH YUEN HUI, SIMON KHOO, SYED AZHAR, NIK NAIZI HUSIN, RAHIMY RAHIM, ZUHRIN AZAM AHMAD, LOH FOON FONG, NATASHA JOIBI, D. KANYAKUMARI, PATRICK LEE, STEPHANIE LEE, MICHELLE TAM, DINA MURAD, AND ADRIAN CHAN

KUALA KRAI: A large number of people are converging in Kelantan, bringing welcome aid to the flood victims. There’s another large number that is coming in – but they are not welcome.

These are the sightseers who want to see for themselves the scenes of flood devastation, who post selfies and other “I was there” pictures on their Facebook pages or Twitter timelines.

These “disaster tourists” are adding to the woes of the people by coming in large groups and clogging up areas with their vehicles.

They are also getting in the way of services and volunteers who are trying desperately to reach the victims.

Those distributing aid to the flood victims here say their jobs have been hampered by these “sightseers”. “They choke up roads with their cars,” they said.

A military officer, who only wanted to be known as Yan, said the roads in Manek Urai here were congested with casual visitors when priority should be given to vehicles bringing in aid.

“To bring 20 to 30 cars for a visit to the area only worsens the situation,” he said.

“The roads are already congested with victims’ cars as most are covered in mud and debris. These tourists shouldn’t be driving into the rural areas nor be there at all,” the officer said.

The bad traffic flow left volunteer doctor Beh Xi Chin and his team stuck on a bridge for almost three hours.

“People here have lost everything,” he said. “There are some who are doing everything they can to help these people, while there are others who are taking advantage of the situation,” he added.

Dr Beh hoped that the authorities would help control the “unwanted congestion”.

Volunteers from a Malacca-based NGO echoed this sentiment, saying they were shocked with “the mentality of some people”.

“Villagers from other areas came to the affected areas to take away supplies that were meant for the victims,” one of them claimed.

One of the motorists taking a photo of the situation there. - SAZUKI EMBONG and AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star

Eighth Army Brigade commander Jen Datuk Azmi Yahya confirmed that there were large numbers of “unwanted tourists”, causing added traffic problems.

“Our work continues, but the process is being slowed because of this,” he said.

Malaysian Red Crescent Society national disaster management committee member James Kon said that people who were not involved in relief efforts should not get in the way.

“They should stay away for now. Some of the roads are not safe as well,” he added.

Twitter user @melatienida, whose parents hail from Kelantan, tweeted a discreetly taken picture of curious onlookers in Kota Baru.

“Banjir (flood) became part of the tourist attraction. People come to this spot just to see it!” she shared.

On Instagram, one user posted a video showing fast-flowing flood waters in Seberang Perak from her account, and included the #mybanjir hashtag: “Trip to see the floods. Oil palm plantation becomes a river. Water rushing past even though it’s blazing hot.”

When another user asked if she was a resident there, she replied she had just travelled from Sitiawan to see the floods for herself.

MCA raises over RM3mil for victims

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA has so far raised close to RM3.5mil in aid for victims in flood-hit states, said its president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

Apart from the amount – RM2.26mil in funds and RM1.18mil in goods – the party had also sent 500 tonnes of items to the victims, he said.

“We will continue to send more to the affected areas,” he added.

Berjaya Group of Companies was among the latest donors.

Representing its founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan, Berjaya Corporation Bhd chairman Datuk Robin Tan donated RM300,000 to the Crisis Relief Squad of MCA (CRSM) for its flood relief efforts.

Mah Sing Foundation, represented by its CEO Ng Chai Yong, handed over RM150,000 worth of goods.

“Now, the funds will be used to rebuild homes and we are moving in more volunteers to assist on the ground,” Liow said at the handing over ceremony of flood disaster assistance at the MCA headquarters here yesterday.

He said CRSM would team up with government agencies to disburse aid and urged Malaysians to support the work of the military and other government agencies to assist the victims.

He said the Cabinet would meet tomorrow to come up with more proposals to help flood victims.

Asked when KTM services to the east coast would be fully restored, Liow, also the Transport Minister, said they were assessing the damage to the railway tracks following the floods.

MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said he had requested damage assessment reports from Chinese new village leaders within 24 hours.

“I have ordered them, together with the village committees to come up with an inventory report on the damage in their villages so we can discuss with the authorities (for assistance),” said Dr Wee, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

He said there were 607 new villages nationwide and the damage assessment had started in Gua Musang, Kelantan.

Dr Wee said MCA was helping flood victims all over the country, including those in the Kota Belud district in Sabah.

“Among our efforts (nationwide) are raising funds for flood victims, collecting clothing as well as donating food,” he said after dialogue sessions with small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) in Keningau, Tenom and Tambunan on Sunday.

Meanwhile, he reminded SMEs to increase productivity and upgrade goods and services as the industry was an important contributor to the nation’s economy.

He said a Secretariat for the Advancement of Malaysian Entrepreneurs (SAME) had been set up to educate SMEs on the various forms of assistance provided by the Government.