Kuala Lumpur: Sipitang MP Datuk Matbali Musah
(pic) has proposed that the Finance Ministry allocate a special additional contingency fund to address natural disasters, particularly frequent floods in Sabah.
He said the allocation was important to ensure immediate assistance could be mobilised whenever disaster strikes, noting that floods had repeatedly affected several districts in the state.
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Speaking while debating the Supplementary Supply Bill for the Finance Ministry in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, Matbali said districts including Pitas, Kota Marudu, Paitan and Beluran were recently hit by floods affecting more than 10,000 residents, with over 5,000 people evacuated.
He added that five more districts were declared flood disaster areas on Wednesday, namely Sipitang, Beaufort, Sook, Tenom and Membakut, while many roads in the Sipitang parliamentary constituency remained submerged.
Matbali also proposed a special contingency allocation to repair dilapidated and ageing schools, citing the closure of Sekolah Kebangsaan Luagan Sanginan after a structural beam broke on Dec 18, forcing students to attend classes in temporary spaces including laboratories, remedial rooms and the school’s open hall.
