Lim said Najib Razak had recently announced RM564 million for flood mitigation at his parliamentary constituency in Pekan, Pahang.
He said he had nothing against the people of Pekan, but wondered why there was no update on the funds for Penang.
“We have nothing against the prime minister’s parliamentary constituency. We have asked RM1 billion for flood mitigation to benefit the entire state, with 13 state parliamentary constituencies.
“We want to ask why there is no update since November?
“Also, the Penang government has handed out RM700 each to flood victims. What about the federal government’s RM500 aid handout to each victim?
“I hope they can explain so that it does not look like Penang is being discriminated against,” he told reporters today.
Lim was previously reported as saying that Najib had given the assurance that he would “seriously consider approving” a RM1 billion allocation in flood mitigation projects.
The assurance was apparently given when both of them met at a state disaster committee meeting after the floods in Penang.
So far, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had approved RM150 million for flood mitigation projects in Penang during the height of the floods last year.
This was after the Penang government complained about the 20-year delay in funds for the stalled third phase of the Sungai Pinang river basin flood mitigation project.
The state believed that once the project was completed, it would effectively resolve flooding at low-lying areas near Sungai Pinang, the island’s longest river.
On Feb 25, Putrajaya set aside RM564 million for Phase 2 of the Bandar Pekan Flood Mitigation Project to address perennial floods affecting the residents since the 1920s.
Najib, in announcing the project, said it would benefit more than 83,000 people in an area covering 6,200ha.
‘Only RM443 million received’
According to a reply given in the state assembly, the federal government spent RM443 million on flood mitigation projects in Penang from 2006 up to September last year.
State Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow had told the assembly that despite being budgeted in subsequent Malaysia Plans, only a small portion of funds was given to Penang.
In the 9th Malaysia Plan (2006-2010), RM1.4 billion was allocated but the amount was amended to RM306 million and the entire allocation was spent.
In the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011-2015), RM193 million was allocated but only RM132 million given, of which RM125 million was spent.
In the current 11th Malaysia Plan (2016-2020), RM205 million was allocated but only RM23 million has been received. Of the RM23 million, RM12 million has been spent.
Last November, the Penang government paid a one-off RM700 aid to flood victims. The payment amounted to RM33.4 million for 48,424 residents.
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