PM Expresses Admiration For Extraordinary Qualities Of Flood Victims, Relief Workers

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today expressed his admiration for the resilience of flood victims and the tireless dedication of flood responders and relief workers, describing them as people with extraordinary qualities in facing flood disasters.

Anwar said he was deeply moved when he visited the victims and witnessed the preparations at temporary flood relief centres (PPS) in Terengganu.

“Yesterday, I was with Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and NADMA director-general Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus, where we observed the preparations at the PPS. We inquired about the quality of food, and although the comfort of the facilities was limited, the treatment, medical care, and overall relief operations were running very smoothly.

“(It shows) how truly extraordinary our people are. The flood victims can calmly say the water is up to their waist and that they will go home once it recedes...the relief workers did not even complain about feeling exhausted or lacking sleep, they just remained excited to help,” he said at the Prime Minister's Department’s monthly assembly for December 2024, here today.

Also present were Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, as well as Shamsul Azri.

Anwar also praised the spirit of MADANI compassion demonstrated by public servants through the Ehsan MADANI Squad initiative.

“All government machinery, including Cabinet members, were actively involved. Every minister and civil servant was on the ground,” he said, further describing the preparations for this flood as extraordinary, considering that readiness had been planned months in advance.

He also expressed his appreciation to all agencies involved in ensuring coordination across various aspects beforehand, enabling better preparation and prompt assistance to flood victims.

Anwar said that months of preparations have made this relief mission effective, with most operations carried out by government machinery at the federal, state, municipal, district, and division levels, especially in Kelantan.

Floods began to hit the country last week, with Kelantan being the worst-hit state, recording 85,778 flood victims from 26,781 families placed in 251 PPS as of today.

Other states affected by the disaster include Terengganu, Perak, Johor, Kedah, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis, and Melaka. As of today, the total number of flood victims recorded across the nine affected states is 138,052.

-- BERNAMA