KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 – The government has assured that the construction of the 359 new permanent houses (RKB) for flood victims in Kelantan will be completed by February next year, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Monday. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said although there were risks of flooding in the near future, it did not prevent the government from completing the project.
He said the number was part of the total of 1,123 RKB that would be built under the Industrialised Building System (IBS) and conventional concept in the state. He said about 500 RKB units will be built by the Kelantan state government while non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and private parties will build the remaining 187 units through donations received. He said this when replying to a supplementary question from Sim Tong Him (DAP-Kota Melaka).
Meanwhile, replying to a question from Datuk Irmohizam Ibrahim (BN-Kuala Selangor) about the government preparedness in facing floods, Shahidan said every flood risk areas in all districts had been directed to conduct flood simulation exercises. He said all Members of Parliament would also be appointed as honorary colonel who would be directly involved in flood management in their respective constituencies and would be aided by the security forces.
