PENAMPANG (Jan 25): The government must have a budget to address environment related problems such as bushfires and floodings.

Warisan Preisdent Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Shafie Apdal said there must be enough funding to cate for the needs of the people and all the states in the event of a disaster occuring.

He added that he will bring this issue up in Parliament.

“At least the people are protected. Malaysians, irrespective of where they are, in Kelantan or Kota Tinggi Johor or in Sabah or in Sarawak,” he said to the media during the Warisan Chinese New Year walkabout in Lido on Saturday.

Shafie arrived around 7.30am in Lido, and spent some time visiting each of the stall operators at the Lido market, and later, to shops around the vicinity. He engaged in small talk with the vendors and patrons.

Shafie also made numerous purchases, ranging from biscuits to fresh produce such as vegetables and fruits.

“There is an abundance of supply in vegetables. I think some of them are involved in farming, and some have bought them from Papar, from Kota Belud, from Kota Marudu,” shared Shafie after his walkabout.

He added that many people he met lamented the high cost of goods, and noted that not much could be bought for RM30.

“What is important for us is to overcome the price of goods, even though probably it can be controlled but (we need to address) the capacity of our people (to spend) … the purchasing power is very much in question,” he said.

“I hope there are steps to address the problems of our community.

“When sitting with the people, they complained about no water and while I was there, the electricity suddenly went off. These are issues that need to be addressed,” he said.

He said that if the government could spend a millon or two million for festivities, but lacks the money to spend on people in Kota Marudu and Pitas who have to wade in the water during flooding.

“They could buy speedboats so the people do not have to wade in the water. The people can sit on the boat safely with their children. There must be a disaster committee that can address this issue in Sabah,” he said.

Shafie also claimed that flood mitigation in Sabah is incomplete.

He also asked the government to ensure it prepares a place to first resettle residents facing eviction, such as those staying at Rumah Pangsa in Tanjung Aru, the water village in Sembulan, Kg Likas Lama and even at his own constituency.

“I have informed the Sabah Government that if it wants to evict them, they have to prepare a place for the residents to be resettled. This could be a rented low-cost housing, or we prepare a system where they can pay a deposit and pay later. Otherwise, where will the residents sleep? They will become squatters at another place. They will relocate from squatter A to squatter B and so on.”

He reminded that those facing the eviction notices were Sabahans, Malaysians.

“Which is the priority? Is it to build buildings? For example, I told Joachim (Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam) not to demolish the water village in Semporna, which is an old (village). We have gazetted the village. And in Likas recently, it might be for flood mitigation but there are (other) ways to address flood mitigation.

Not just by demolishing houses … but I am not saying that they cannot be relocated. Aside from giving the (eviction) notice, they must also be given an alternative site for housing,” said the Semporna member of parliament and Senallang assemblyman.

SIBU (Jan 26): The Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) Sibu Branch will distribute the collected second-hand clothing to the needy in rural areas as an effort to alleviate their burden.

The branch chairman Penghulu Chua Hiong Kee said that the clothes, which have been sorted and categorised by type and size, are currently stored in the association’s warehouse.

However, he said, rather than just being stored in a warehouse, it would be more appropriate if the clothes were distributed to those who truly need them.

“We don’t want to just store these clothes. The main purpose of donors is to help those in need.

“Therefore, we will collaborate with several parties to donate these second-hand clothes to rural residents,” he told reporters yesterday.

Chua explained that MRCS Sibu once tried to sell second-hand clothes but the response received was not encouraging, leading the association to decide to discontinue the activity.

Instead, MRCS Sibu now plans to distribute the clothes directly to those who really need them.

“Residents in urban or suburban areas might not need these second-hand clothes, so we think it would be better if these clothes are donated to those who need them more in the remote areas,” he said.

He added that MRCS Sibu will not be donating all the clothes received.

Some of the clothing will be reserved for emergency situations, especially disaster relief, he explained.

Additionally, Chua also reminded the public not to donate clothes that are too old or damaged.

KUCHING, 25 Jan: Jumlah mangsa banjir di Sarawak kini menurun kepada 33 orang daripada 13 keluarga berbanding 123 orang daripada 34 keluarga sebelum ini dengan hanya satu pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) masih beroperasi di Bahagian Bintulu.

Sekretariat Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Sarawak dalam laporan terkininya memaklumkan PPS Dewan Rumah Dayak di daerah Saratok, Bahagian Betong, yang sebelum ini menempatkan mangsa dari Rumah Tembawai Kapok, Awik, telah ditutup pada pukul 3 petang tadi.

PPS tersebut telah dibuka sejak Ahad lalu bagi menempatkan 90 mangsa daripada 21 keluarga yang terjejas akibat banjir yang melanda rumah panjang berkenaan.

Namun, PPS Rumah Steven di daerah Tatau, Bintulu, masih aktif dan menempatkan 33 mangsa daripada 13 keluarga dari kawasan Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Muput sejak Khamis lepas. -TVS

KUCHING – Jumlah mangsa banjir di Sarawak kekal 123 orang daripada 34 keluarga pagi ini, dengan dua pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) masih beroperasi di bahagian-bahagian Betong dan Bintulu.

Sekretariat Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Sarawak melaporkan setakat 8 pagi ini, PPS Dewan Rumah Dayak di daerah Saratok, Bahagian Betong masih menempatkan 90 mangsa daripada 21 keluarga yang terjejas akibat banjir di Rumah Tembawai Kapok, Awik.

Sementara itu, 33 mangsa daripada 13 keluarga dari kawasan Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Muput juga masih berlindung di PPS Rumah Steven di daerah Tatau, Bahagian Bintulu.

Pemantauan oleh Angkatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia (APM) menunjukkan paras air meningkat di 18 lokasi di daerah Selangau, Matu dan Sebauh. – BERNAMA