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Thursday, 12 February 2009

Najib: Help For Affected Sarawakians In Mini Budget

KUCHING, Feb 12 (Bernama) -- The mini budget, which is scheduled to be tabled by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the Dewan Rakyat on March 10, will among others include aid and financial assistance to Sarawak, parts of which were hit by severe floods and landslides recently.

"The federal government will offer assistance to those affected by the recent floods. We have made that commitment. Those who have been housed at flood relief centres would receive RM300 while those who did not stay at flood relief centres and stayed at houses of relatives would also receive RM300.

"We would disburse the funds once the list of recipients is furnished to us. As for farmers, who had their yields wiped out by the floods, would also receive aid. The rate would be decided by the state government," Najib told reporters after meeting leaders of Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties here, today.

Najib, who is on a three-day working visit to the state, said the Sarawak government had also been asked to evaluate the damage to infrastructure and public amenities.

"We want the state government's evaluation done by end of the month so that I could include it in the mini-budget that would tabled on March 10," he said.

The mini budget is being tabled to soften the impact of the global economic crisis. Last year, Najib had tabled a RM7 billion economic stimulus package.

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