Najib on the way back, jet landed in Indianapolis

 

FLOODS LIVE BLOG Malaysiakini brings the latest updates on the flood situation as they happen.

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10.50pm: According to a Bernama report as at 9pm, the number of flood evacuees around Malaysia has increased to 120,341 people.

The number of evacuees in Kelantan remains the same at 45,467 people, while Terengganu has 34,109, and Johor, 896.

The number of evacuees has reduced in Pahang to 33,324, Perlis 209, and Kedah, one.

8.42pm: A mother waded through floods for 500m carrying her three-month-old baby before being rescued yesterday in Hulu Terengganu, as told to Bernama when met at the SK Pulau Serai flood relief centre.

Nurul Nadia Tarmizi, 31, of Kampung Mak Bah, says when the water level rose to her thigh, she had no choice but to wade through the floods with her baby.

"My husband had gone to the workshop to repair the car and could not come home by 10.30am. Saving household items did not cross my mind. I was focused on saving my baby," she says.

7.52pm: Prime Minister Najib Razak’s private jet, registered as 9M-NAA, lands in Indianapolis, Indiana, from Los Angeles at 6.52pm Malaysian time, according to online flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

The plane landed at Los Angeles airport at 1.40pm Malaysian time from Honolulu, Hawaii, where he was on holiday.

The prime minister has cut short his vacation and is expected to arrive in Kelantan tomorrow to oversee rescue operations.

7pm: Penang state government pledges RM1.5 mil to assist flood victims in other states.

State executive councillor for welfare, caring society and the environment Phee Boon Poh says of the amount, RM500,000 has been authorised for immediate use.

"This has been agreed in principle by excos and will be endorsed (formally) at the next exco meeting. All assistance will be transferred in kind, not in cash," Phee tells Malaysiakini.

Those wishing to donate in kind can do so at the Caring Society Complex from 8am to 5pm, daily.

6.01pm: The number of flood evacuees around Malaysia has increased to 119,624 people.

While the number of evacuees at Kelantan remains the same at 45,657 people, the number in Terengganu has increased to 34,884, and Johor, from 214 to 537 people.

However, the number of evacuees has reduced in Pahang (35,736 to 32,380), Perlis (263 to 209), and Kedah (96 to 28), according to a Bernama report as at 5pm.

5.48pm: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) urges private sector employers to consider granting paid leave to workers affected by floods.

"Private sector employers should be lenient enough to grant paid leave for their employees at a time when the floods are ravaging many states,” MTUC deputy secretary-general A Balasubramaniam was reported as saying by Bernama.

5.10pm: Kelantanese Hilmi, 36, who lives in Bachok, tells Malaysiakini flood waters in Kota Baru has risen by 60cm since morning.

Bachok is the only area in Kota Baru which is not flooded, but places such as Pantai Cahaya Bulan, Mulung, Salor, and Pengkalan Chepa are not so fortunate.

“As Bachok is near the shoreline, it is still okay. It has not been raining in Kota Baru, but the waters had risen because most of the areas are near the river,” says Hilmi, who uses his motorcycle to go around Kota Bharu to take pictures of the floods.

5.18pm: Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Kemaman MP as well as communications and multimedia minister, posts on his Facebook that the bodies of two missing victims in Pahang have been found.

4:45pm: DAP slams the archaic methods used by the states to declare state of emergency saying that "other countries do not wait for hundreds of thousands of flood refugees before declaring a state of emergency".

"There is an urgent need for the immediate review of such outmoded, archaic and obsolete rules for the declaration of states of emergency arising from a natural disaster, which is why there should be an emergency meeting of the Cabinet meeting in the next 24 hours," says DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang. 

4.33pm: DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang urges Najib to “rush back to chair a special meeting of cabinet within 24 hours to pave the way for the declaration of a state of emergency”.

In a statement, Lim urges the federal government to be more responsible over the situation in Kelantan, instead of leaving it in the hands of Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed.

4.01pm: The flood situation in Johor worsens with 537 people evacuated from their homes, according to a tweet from the Fire Department.

The worst hit areas are Kluang with 432 evacuees, and Batu Pahat with 36 evacuees. The other areas affected include Muar, Segamat and Kulaijaya.

4pm: Following scathing criticism over his holiday in the US while floods engulf east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, PM Najib Razak says he is returning on Saturday to oversee operations.

In a statement from the Prime Minister's Oiffce, Najib, whose plane is currently in Los Angeles at press time, will convene a meeting in Kelantan upon arrival.

3:35pm: After receiving flak from DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang on the government's slow response to the serious flood situation in Kelantan, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has flown to flood-hit Kelantan today.

Bernama reports the DPM describing the floods as worse than anticipated, and admitting to the inadequacy of current air, water and land transportation assets.

Muhyiddin has therefore ordered the deployment of more helicopters, boats and land vehicles to reach and help the victims.

"The National Security Council (NSC) will look into this," he is reported saying.

3.02pm: The flood situation in Johor worsens with 214 people being evacuated out of their homes in the Kluang and Muar districts today.

A Bernama report says that a spokesperson from the National Security Council (NSC) said that that 201 evacuees from Kluang were transported to four relief centers. Thirteen people from Muar were also evacuated.

3pm: 118,896 evacuated so far, says a Bernama report.

The breakdown is as follows: Kelantan: 45,467; Terengganu: 31,001; Pahang: 35,736; Perak: 6,119; Johor: 214; Kedah: 96; and Perlis: 263.

2.15pm: Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) reports that 10 of its stations in the East Coast have been inundated with flood waters.

1.29pm: The proposed special sitting on the hudud bill in Kelantan on Dec 29 is in limbo because the state administrative building has been flooded out.

The state secretariat has been moved to a hall in Telipot Mosque, about three kilometres away from the official building which is under one foot of water.

1.00pm: The number of flood evacuees around the peninsula has increased to a total of 105,568 people, says a Bernama report.

The number of evacuees have increased in Terengganu (30,147 to 31,001), Perak (5,530 to 6,119), and Johor (201 to 214), whereas Kelantan (32,139), Pahang (35,736), and Perlis (263) remains the same.

Kedah is the only state where the evacuees have reduced from 157 to 96 people.

1pm: Perak National Security Council says flood victims in the state has increased to 6,119, compared to 5,530 this morning, according to a Bernama tweet.

12.34pm: Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali and state exco members Amirudin Shari and Daroyah Alwi are in Kelantan to hand over RM1 million to help flood victims.

The Selangor government has also allocated RM100,000 to help other flood-hit states like Terengganu, Pahang and Perak.

12.14pm: Bernama reports that the rest of the states in the west coast of peninsular Malaysia will only be experiencing flash floods due to the current inconsistent rainfall.

National Weather Center meteorology officer Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip says the predictions are based on the movement of the northeast monsoons.

11.55pm: Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, alongside Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim and chief secretary Ali Hamsa, visit flood relief centre at SMK Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan.

10am: Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's Facebook posting late last night about his response to the flood situation has been trolled by netizens making sarcastic remarks about the PM’s response.

A sampling of over 7,700 comments saw Facebook users ridiculing his holiday and much publicised golf game with US President Barack Obama.

Netizen Khairul Anwar Othman commented, “It seems golf is more important than the people of Malaysia.”

“He’s playing golf it seems… Pak Jib, wait until the next election; it’s the end of you,” writes Sham Jusuh.

Meanwhile Syed Mohd Azlede states succinctly: “The PM needs to come home immediately!!!”

The photograph of the PM on the phone also raises sarcastic comments.

“Is that all he can do: make phone calls? Looks like he used the wrong photo,” wrote netizen Muhd Sufiz, while another Ahmad Jim Sung commented, “He’s just posing. Best take stock of yourself.”

“He can get the ‘best actor’ award,” laughs Mohd Azad Amir.

9.35 am: The number of flood victims in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Perak has now risen to 103,413, an increase of 9,395 victims from last night, according to a Bernama tweet.

9.05am: Selangor PAS will conduct special prayers as massive floods ravage the country, especially inundating the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

State PAS commissioner Iskandar Abdul Samad (left) says a convoy of more than 130 personnel departed in four batches for Kelantan and Terengganu.

“There are 27 four-wheeled drive vehicles and nine lorries, with three to 10 tonnes of necessities headed for the flood victims,” says Iskandar.

Those who would like to give donations may do so at PAS Flood Assistance Centre at Dewan Merbau, Jalan Senangin 17/2, Seksyen 17, Shah Alam, or contact Rayme Abd Rahman (018-664 5036).

8.50am: In Kelantan last night, Bernama reported that the Sultan Yahya Petra Bridge (below) connecting Kota Baru town to Pasir Pekan in Tumpat, is now closed to all vehicles after the water in Sungai Kelantan rose above the bridge.

Kota Baru district police chief ACP Rohaimi Md Isa, when contacted, says the bridge was closed to all traffic, as the situation was dangerous to road users.

The Bernama report also states that flood waters from Gua Musang and Kuala Krai are now flowing towards Kota Baru district.

8.40am: International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed has admitted there are weaknesses in managing and rescuing flood victims in Kelantan.

Mustapa, also the MP for Jeli, took 10 hours by boat to travel to Kuala Krai, an area which is deeply affected by the floods.

"In this a serious situation, we need a commander to manage across all the departments," he tells Astro Awani at SK Banggol Guchil this morning.

He describes this year's floods as big compared to past years and said this resulted in the government's weakness in coordinating aid.

8.30am: Yesterday, a doctor at a government clinic in Badang posted his updates on the desperate situation at his clinic, which he claimed has been cut off by the floods and is not getting any supplies.

“Oh, and yes, I would like to wish our prime minister happy holidaying in Hawaii, while our holidays have been frozen and are sacrificing our lives for the sake of our beloved citizens,” he wrote sarcastically in one posting on Christmas day.

8am: Last night Bernama reports Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has suspended the operations of 1,606 sub-stations throughout Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu in view of the severe floods in the state.

Its Kelantan general manager, Md Yuslan Md Yusof, says that up to 6pm yesterday, the operations of 232 sub-stations in Gua Musang, 215 in Kuala Krai, 24 in Tanah Merah, 19 in Jeli, 12 in Machang, five in Tumpat and three in Kota Baru had been suspended.

TNB senior general manager (Corporate and Communications) Mohd Aminuddin Mohd Amin says the move was to avoid short-circuits which can affect 70,284 consumers.

Kelantan has the most number of consumers affected with (42,688) when the operations of 1,150 sub-stations are suspended in Kuala Krai, Gua Musang, Jeli, Machang, Tanah Merah, Kota Baru and Tumpat.

"In Terengganu, the operations of 138 sub-stations were suspended in Kemaman, Bandar Al-Muktafi Billah Shah and Dungun, involving 8,105 consumers while in Pahang, 5,878 consumers will be affected as 18 sub-stations are suspended," he says in a statement, yesterday.

He says TNB would continue to monitor the situation. The floods in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang continued to worsen.

The power shut down could possibly be leading to the communications failures being reported with relatives being unable to call those in the east coast states.