SIBU: There should be a standard format on what can be claimed for compensation by flood victims in the whole country, said Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
The Deputy Premier of Sarawak said that whatever decision made by the federal Cabinet on the matter should be applicable in the state.
“We need to know what our victims can claim for compensation. Can they claim for their vehicles, electrical goods, livestock and crops destroyed by the flood like those in the Peninsular?
“The matter was brought up in the parliamentary sitting recently to ask why Sarawak was excluded from the compensation payment.
“A deputy minister replied that there had been no such application from the state,” he said when addressing a two-day state-level workshop on the management of disaster operation control centres here yesterday.
Uggah who is also the chairman of the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said that another issue was the payment of the ‘Wang Ihsan Banjir’ (flood compassionate aid) for those who declined to stay at evacuation centres whether they were eligible to receive such aid.
“The bottom line is we did advise them to move but they declined,” he pointed out.
This was said in view of the announcement by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri who said during the occurrence of flood in Selangor in December last year that the ‘Wang Ihsan’ must be paid to the victims at the evacuation centres within three days.
“So, we have this issue of keeping up this promise to pay. Even in the recent bad flood in Bekenu in Miri Division it was not possible to pay within three days.
“So, we are suggesting to NADMA (the National Disaster Management Agency) for SDMC to pay first and for the agency to reimburse it later,” he said.
On another issue, Uggah also requested NADMA to supply the state with effective communication system to reach out to those settlements and longhouses deep in the interiors as currently the communication between them and SDMC secretariat was through amateur radio.
Uggah also sought the agency’s aid in setting up more Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
“They are extremely important for the people themselves to know what to do, how to organise themselves in the event of a disaster pending the arrival of the rescuing agencies. They are very effective and we want to set up such teams in the state,” he said.
The workshop is attended officers from the police, Fire and Rescue, Welfare and Civil Defence Force Departments (ATM) as well as from all Resident’s and District Offices.
Also present were NADMA deputy Director-General Meor Ismail Meor Akim, state police commissioner Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri and director of the Security and Enforcement Unit Sarawak Datuk Dr Chai Khin Chung.
Uggah also congratulated officers and personnel from all departments and agencies including the military for their exemplary cooperation and hardwork during the COVID-19 pandemic.
