Some flood victims faking it

LABIS: Some families have been found to be making false claims for flood compensations on the pretext of being victims.


Disclosing this, Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Chua Tee Yong said these so-called victims duped the authorities by producing pictures taken during the 2006 floods.

They produced these photographs as “evidence” to support their claims of being victims of the recent floods in Johor,” he said.

Checking out: Chua (second from right) and his entourage listening to the grouses of smallholder Lee Weng Kwai, 65, as they look at a partially collapsed bridge which was the only access to several palm oil plantations in Labis.


“Residents should refrain from such acts as the compensation is for those who are truly in need,” Chua said after visiting several flood-hit areas here yesterday.

Chua, who is also Labis MP, said the compensation was strictly for those whose homes had been flooded and had been forced to move to the more than 350 relief centres in the state.

“Residents cannot claim monetary compensation if the floods only affected the streets outside their homes,” he said, adding that all applications would be vetted before any aid was to be handed out.

Chua said several farmers were also trying to get government allocations although the recent floods did not affect their farms.

“Farmers need to provide photographic evidence and we will also conduct our own checks to ensure the area was indeed flooded.”

He said the Johor Welfare Department spent more than RM6mil for food and other supplies to relief centres statewide that held over 45,000 evacuees during the recent floods.

Generally, the flood situation in Johor is improving with only 554 victims left in three relief centres in Batu Pahat and Segamat.

Batu Pahat remains the worst-hit district but the situation has improved with only 384 victims left while the number of victims in Segamat has dropped to 170 at the relief centres there.

The Johor government’s official flood operation room’s portal www.johordt.gov.my stated that 351 flood relief centres had been closed. It said victims in Johor Baru, Kluang, Pontian, Kota Tinggi, Mersing, Kulaijaya, Muar and Ledang have returned home as the districts were now flood-free.

All roads in the state are now accessible to vehicles.

The floods in Johor claimed five lives.


Monday February 14, 2011


The Star