Day: March 5, 2023

ARAU, March 5 (Bernama) — The East Wind Festival 2023 (PAT2023) can bring back the nostalgia of the traditional society that is rich in customs and culture, said Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail.

He said artistic and social activities need to be revived and brought in sync with current developments.

“PAT2023 can further enrich the state’s treasures for future generations to inherit,” said Tuanku Syed Faizuddin when closing PAT2023 in Kampung Sungai Padang here today.

The event was also graced by Raja Puan Muda of Perlis Tuanku Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil.

Also present were Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan and Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli.

The three-day PAT2023 was jointly organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and the Perlis government.

Tuanku Syed Faizuddin hoped that PAT could continue to be organised to give space and opportunities to the community in generating income.

He said Perlis has its own special features, including the beauty of the padi fields which is able to give tranquility and persona.

“All parties should equally take responsibility and join hands to take care of its beauty, infrastructure and facilities that have been provided at tourist spots,” he added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SEGAMAT, March 5 (Bernama) — The Johor government has expressed its appreciation to Anwar Ibrahim for visiting the state today to check out the flood situation and for his commitment to help the state deal with its worst flooding in years.

Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the prime minister’s commitment included approving an immediate allocation of RM50 million for flood-related needs, in addition to the RM10 million allocation announced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi earlier.

“The prime minister also reiterated his stand to speed up the tender for the Flood Mitigation Plan in Johor and to consider applications for allocations to repair damaged roads and cover losses due to destroyed crops and livestock,” he said in a post on his Facebook.

The Machap state assemblyman said the state government was also grateful to the prime minister for immediately deploying more federal assets and officers for flood relief missions and his commitment to help in other post-flood works.

He also thanked the prime minister for visiting evacuees at the flood relief centres (PPS) at SK Gemereh and PPS SJK(C) Kg Tengah, and extending contributions to them.

According to him, Anwar also urged the people of Johor to follow the instructions of authorities and continue to help each other in facing this disaster.

Earlier, Anwar had attended a briefing on the flood situation in the state at 4th Regiment of Royal Artillery at Segamat Camp before visiting the two PPS.

The number of flood victims in Johor has increased to 46,742 as at 2 pm from 44,860 at 8 am today, with Batu Pahat being the worst-hit district.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

ROMPIN, March 5 (Bernama) — A total of 130 damaged Federal and state roads in flood-hit states have been reported thus far, said Works Ministry secretary-general Datuk Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman.

He said that of the total, 56 involved Federal roads which will need about RM130 million for repairs to be carried out in stages.

“Whichever can be expedited will be done so. If there is a need to build a bridge and so on, we will carry out a study first,” he told Bernama after monitoring the installation of the bailey bridge on route FT2490 at the entrance to Perwira Jaya and Selancar, here, today.

He said the 42.67-metre (140-foot)-long modular steel panel bridge is being actively installed and work is expected to be completed by tomorrow evening.

According to him, work to stabilise soil erosion was carried out yesterday before 80 Public Works Department (JKR) and Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) personnel began installing the bridge.

The road collapse, estimated to be 23 metres long, resulted in about 12,000 residents having difficulty getting to the city after the road was closed to all types of vehicles for the safety of users.

The road connects residents of Felda Selancar to Segamat and also to Muadzam Shah, here.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 (Bernama) — The number of flood victims in relief centres (PPS) in Johor, Pahang and Melaka continued to rise while two other states showed a drop as of 2 pm today.

Johor still has the highest number of evacuees, with 46,742 people, followed by Pahang (3,042), Melaka (516), Negeri Sembilan (478) and Selangor (13).

In JOHOR, the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) informed that four new PPS had been opened, bringing the total number of centres operating in 10 districts to 264.

It said that Batu Pahat is the most affected district with 15,915 victims from 4,616 families, followed by Segamat (13,319 people from 3,895 families); Kluang (5,270 people from 1,525 families); Muar (4,103 people from 1,214 families) and Kota Tinggi (3,249 people from 865 families).

In Tangkak, it involves 3,007 people from 870 families; Mersing (975 people from 292 families); Johor Bahru (511 people from 174 families); Pontian (330 people from 86 families) and Kulai (63 people from 15 families).

The flood situation in Johor also received the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who visited the PPS in Segamat this morning.

In PAHANG, the number of evacuees rose slightly to 3,042 people at 22 PPS this afternoon, compared to 2,978 people in the morning.

The JPBN Secretariat said that even though the flood situation in Bera has improved after the last 29 victims were allowed to return home this morning, there was an increase in the number of evacuees in Rompin, which is the most affected district.

So far, 2,717 victims are still housed at 20 PPS in Rompin, 296 people in one PPS in Temerloh and 29 people in one PPS in Maran.

In MELAKA, the number of evacuees rose to 516 people from 138 families as of 2 pm, compared to 493 people from 134 families at 8 am.

The JPBN Secretariat, in a statement, said 507 people from 135 families are taking shelter at five PPS in Jasin, while nine people from three families are at one PPS in Alor Gajah.

Meanwhile, in NEGERI SEMBILAN, state Civil Defence Force director Lieutenant Colonel (PA) Mohd Nazri Mes Kam said the number of evacuees continued to drop to 478 people from 123 families, currently housed at two PPS in Tampin.

In SELANGOR, 13 victims from two families are still housed at the PPS in Sekolah Kebangsaan Merbau Sempak, Sungai Buloh, compared to 71 people from 17 families this morning.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

CAMERON HIGHLANDS, March 5 (Bernama) — Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah today expressed his wish to see that Kampung Orang Asli (KOA) Kuala Boh here become a model village for other Orang Asli villages and settlements.

His Majesty said the village should be emulated due to its cleanliness and surrounding beauty, not to mention the harmony displayed by the community there.

“I also wish to remind the people, especially locals here, to continue to maintain harmony and friendship and not to be too political.

“We work on our lands to earn an income and those who work outside in Tanah Rata should remain working there to the best of your capability because it is not easy to find work now,” said His Majesty after a briefing on the improvement of telecommunications services at KOA Kuala Boh by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Also present was the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

Al-Sultan Abdullah also expressed his happiness with MCMC’s plans regarding the improvement of telecommunications services in the area and hoped that more facilities and needs promised to the Orang Asli community could be fulfilled soon.

“I was informed that some houses will be built by the Pahang Islamic Religion and Malay Customs Council (MUIP) together with the Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA) and repair works on some houses in this area.

“We must complete everything that we can. I believe that efforts will be taken to provide the infrastructure, especially in relation to electricity, water and so on,” said His Majesty.

Earlier, Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah witnessed the conversion to Islam of two Orang Asli women in the village, followed by a presentation of school supplies to Orang Asli children and a van to the residents there.

During the visit, Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah also treated the residents of KOA Kuala Boh with the ‘jemput jemput durian’, prepared by Tunku Azizah.

Earlier, MCMC chief operating officer Datuk Mohd Ali Hanafiah, in a briefing session, explained the interim substation project implemented by the commission with the industry at KOA Kuala Boh.

Mohd Ali said the temporary substation was constructed following complaints from local residents during His Majesty’s visit to the village on Jan 7 and following that, his team is currently in the midst of completing the KOA Kuala Boh Tower project for the convenience of residents to access communication services more smoothly.

The construction of a 76-metre-high tower using optical fibre which costs RM1.5 million will be enjoyed by more than 200 Orang Asli families, scheduled for completion this September.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

ALOR SETAR, March 5 (Bernama) — A total of eight halls are being built in school premises that have often been used as flood relief centres, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the funds to construct the buildings which will act as permanent relief centres will be taken from the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) current allocation and the move was to provide victims with more comfortable facilities.

Without stating the locations of the halls, he said the facility would be managed by the respective schools and it could be used by the school and students during non-flood season.

“Some of the schools often used as relief centres have toilets but they are without shower facilities so these new buildings will have adequate bathing facilities,” he told a press conference after a working visit to Kedah Regional Development Authority (KEDA) headquarters here, today.

He said it is estimated that about 1,000 schools throughout the peninsula are being utilised as relief centres during the flood season.

On the current flood situation in several states, Ahmad Zahid said the relevant agencies are working in coordination to ensure quick response to flood victims’ needs.

Citing an example, he said when he went to Selancar, Rompin recently, there was a road that was cut off, but this was resolved in less than 72 hours with the cooperation of the Royal Army Engineers Regiment and the Public Works Department while the allocation was from NADMA.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said KEDA was facing several problems in developing its small and scattered land banks and in dealing with abandoned properties.

He said, KEDA’s top management would find a way to resolve the issues, especially the abandoned lands so that they could be developed and utilised by the land owners.

“The ministry will help to increase the budget for KEDA in 2024 if the agency can provide justification for new projects, new planning and also a way forward for the agency to continue to drive development in its areas,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SEGAMAT, March 5 (Bernama) — Bekok residents here would have never expected their area to be hit by floods as it has never happened since 2006 whenever it rains.

Kampung Melayu Baru Bekok head Azhar Kamisan said the last time there was flooding in the area was 17 years ago. Even when there was continuous heavy rain and the Sungai Bekok overflowed its banks, it did not cause flooding.

“The flooding this time took residents by surprise. Many of them have been evacuated to temporary relief centres at Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Bekok after flood waters rose at about 4 am last Wednesday.

“Many of the victims were from Rumah Rakyat Bekok, an area close to Sungai Bekok,” he told Bernama when met today.

Azhar, 60, said that after 17 years, the floods this time around were really bad with many roads submerged causing residents to lose road connectivity and the situation looks like residents are living on an island.

He said apart from Rumah Rakyat Bekok, other areas affected by the floods are Kampung Pancha Jaya and Kampung Orang Asli, here, where some houses have been affected and main roads closed to traffic due to a collapsed bridge.

“On the first day (Wednesday) of the floods, Bekok residents were unable to move out of their area as the main bridge was also flooded, with flood waters only receding the next day. It looks like we are living on an island because we cannot leave as all access routes have been cut off,” he said.

As of today, a total of 340 individuals from 149 families are still being housed in the relief centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Bekok.

Meanwhile, resident, Noraini Abdullah, 33, said the continuous heavy rain in January did not cause any flooding but this time around it is different.

She also said the heavy rain for two days since Monday caused the flood waters to rise up to thigh- level in her house in Rumah Rakyat Bekok.

“When the river overflowed its banks at about 3 am, my family was asleep but I heard people making noise outside…this is when I realised the house was flooded,” added the mother of five, aged three to 13.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency