KUALA LUMPUR: Perkembangan projek tebatan banjir, pembangunan di kawasan sempadan negara jiran dan pengurusan air di Kelantan akan terus menjadi antara keutamaan kerajaan di negeri itu.

Perkara itu dinyatakan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hari ini, selepas beliau menerima kunjungan hormat Menteri Besar Kelantan, Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud di Perdana Putra di sini.

Beliau berkata, perbincangan hari ini adalah usaha menambah baik kerjasama antara kerajaan Persekutuan dan kerajaan negeri demi kesejahteraan dan kebajikan rakyat.

"Antara yang dibincangkan, termasuk perkembangan projek tebatan banjir, pembangunan di sempadan serta projek infrastruktur seperti penjajaran jalan dan pengurusan air.

"Saya titipkan pesanan supaya kepedulian terhadap kebajikan rakyat perlu terus menjadi keutamaan dan diuruskan sebaiknya," katanya laman sosialnya, hari ini.

KOTA KINABALU: The government has taken proactive steps to address the flood problem by allocating RM22 billion to implement the Flood Mitigation Plan (RTB) projects nationwide, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid who is also the chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, said the allocation includes RTB upgrading works that have been and are being identified, especially in areas frequently hit by floods in the country.

“For example, the areas around Kota Kinabalu and Penampang are hit by floods up to four times a year and the RTB project in phases has been implemented and there are projects for the next phase that have been listed so that the flood problem can be resolved,“ he told reporters after visiting the Kota Kinabalu Lido flood RTB project areas here today.

Also present was Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Datuk Ewon Benedick, who is also the Member of Parliament for Penampang.

ARAU: Traders at the Perlis East Wind Festival 2025 in Kampung Lat 1000, Tambun Tulang, are counting their losses after heavy rain turned the festival grounds into a muddy disaster.

Many vendors were forced to shut down, with some incurring losses of up to RM8,000 as their stalls became inaccessible due to waterlogged conditions.

A visit to the site today found traders packing up their goods, with the once-busy festival grounds resembling the aftermath of a mudslide.

"The padi field-turned-marketplace was completely waterlogged, making it difficult for both vendors and visitors to move around.

More than 20 vehicles, including food trucks, were stuck in deep mud and had to be towed out with the help of padi ploughing machines.

Bihun sup vendor Roslan Ahmad, 44, said the disaster could have been prevented if the organisers had heeded traders' concerns. "I'm not blaming the rain but the poor organisation.

"Who would want to come to a festival when the entire place is covered in mud?

"I've already lost between RM7,000 and RM8,000 just on raw ingredients, and now I have nowhere to sell them.

"The organisers have offered an alternative site at the Perlis State Assembly Complex in Kangar, but that's only for food trucks, not vendors like me," he said.

Roslan questioned why the same padi field location was chosen for a second consecutive year despite concerns raised earlier.

"We had already asked why they insisted on using this site when there were other dry fields available, but the organisers went ahead anyway. "We had no choice but to comply," he said.

He said vendors had paid over RM1,000 each to trade at the festival for three days.

"As of now, we're unsure if we'll continue. Our priority is to pack up and leave because, realistically, we've already lost about 95 per cent of our investment here," he said.

Food truck operator Muhd Afiq Omar, 25, barely made RM30 before he was forced to shut down.

"It rained heavily for about 30 minutes, and that was enough to flood the site. My truck got stuck in the mud, and I couldn't move it.

"I've been trading at this festival in Perlis for four years, but this is the first time something like this has happened.

"I had just set up my stall yesterday, but by nightfall, the entire place was flooded," he said.

Afiq said he had to leave his truck overnight and only managed to have it towed out this morning with the help of a padi ploughing machine.

Yesterday, Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli confirmed that the festival would proceed as planned despite venue adjustments due to the flooding.

GABORONE, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Private Sector Disaster Response Fund (PSDRF) was launched on Friday by Business Botswana as a private sector-led initiative to provide rapid disaster response and immediate recovery support in times of crisis.

The fund aims to address critical gaps in disaster management by providing agile financial assistance, according to Business Botswana, a business chamber organization in the southern African country.

"By addressing the immediate financial needs in disaster recovery, the PSDRF will contribute to the quicker restoration of services, livelihoods, and businesses," Nwako noted, citing that the PSDRF is part of the business community's commitment to building a resilient and proactive economy.

He said the PSDRF is specifically structured to fill vital financial voids, ensuring that businesses and communities can respond promptly to natural disasters and other unforeseen emergencies.

In addition, the fund will undertake proactive measures, particularly in improving early warning systems and empowering local communities to better handle emergencies, according to Business Botswana.

The launch of the PSDRF comes as Botswana is facing ongoing heavy rainfalls, resulting in floods.

Botswanan President Duma Boko lamented the severe impact of the devastating floods, which have damaged homes and disrupted lives and livelihoods.

"I met with some affected families, emergency responders, and local leaders to discuss immediate relief efforts and long-term solutions. We will also strengthen disaster preparedness to prevent such tragedies in the future," said Boko. .