BAGAN SERAI: The government will learn from Holland on the best method of handling the floods in this country, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Chairman of the Central Disaster Committee, said the selection of the country which is famous for the tulips was made because it was situated below sea level.
“We did discuss on learning from Holland how to overcome the flood situation as the country was situated below sea level,” she told reporters after observing the flood evacuation centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Changkat Lobak here, today.
In addition, Dr Wan Azizah also recommended that the state government and the parties concerned including at the district level made long-term mitigation plans to overcome flood problems.
She added that the government must fully exploit places or buildings that were not utilised to be turned into temporary evacuation centres (PPS) besides schools currently.
“We don’t want to disturb students (when schools are being used as PPS). There are many places that are not utilised that can be exploited.
“In addition, we also have to think of the sewerage system at the PPS, we fear of disease infection when too many flood victims converge at one place,” she added.
The PPS at SK Changkat Lobak was opened since Oct 21 and as at 12.45 pm today 149 victims from 35 families had been placed at the school.
During the approximately 30-minute visit, Dr Wan Azizah also spent time to mix with the flood victims at the PPS including a woman who had recently given birth, Roshida Roslan.
The Deputy Prime Minister showed her motherhood tendency when she held Roshida’s baby, Nuradriana Sofia Muhamad Zaikri who was only seven days old.
Roshida, 31, said the experience after delivering the baby this time was rather memorable because she did not expect her second child to become popular.
“I did not expect my daughter to appear on television, the press and many other social media and meet the Deputy Prime Minister,” said Roshida who was evacuated to the PPS on Oct 25, one day after delivering her daughter.
— BERNAMA
