DAP demands gov't call 'state of emergency' 
MalaysiaKini.com
Dec 25, 2014  

With 90,000 evacuees marking Malaysia’s worst-ever flood, DAP wants to know why the government is dragging its feet and not declaring a state of emergency.

"Why is our Malaysian federal government so headless in dealing with such emergencies?  

"If the fact that 90,000 Malaysians are forced to leave their flood-stricken homes into shelters with barely sufficient necessities isn’t a clear-cut case to declare a state of emergency, what is?” DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua asked.

National Security Council (MKN) secretary Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab yesterday dismissed rumours that emergency is declared in worst-hit Kelantan.

He said that only the prime minister, who also chairs MKN, can call for a state of emergency.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is reported to be golfing with United States President Barack Obama in Hawaii.

A state of emergency will prompt the mobilisation of security troops to assist in relief, but the Defence Ministry has yesterday already deployed some of its assets for flood relief.

According to Article 150 of the Federal Constitution, the Agong can declare a state of emergency when he is satisfied that the security and economic life of the citizens are under threat.

He may do so on the advice of the prime minister.

Najib last year announced the state of emergency for Muar and Ledang, Johor when hazardous haze engulfed those areas.

Strike fear with PM's golf irons

Meanwhile, Pua said the DAP had no problem with Najib taking his time to complete his year-end holidays if federal government agencies had demonstrated leadership in taking steps to tackle the flood woes in his absence.
 
“However, all we are getting is officials spewing daily statistics and reacting to circumstances as they happen.”
 
Although the Finance Ministry had announced a RM50 million allocation for the flood victims, and while the aid was welcomed, Pua said it did not solve the various practical problems on the ground.
 
“We call upon the federal government to mobilise all possible resources to mitigate the flood situation, including setting up operations in areas which have not been flooded yet, but might be severely affected in the event of more rain and rising tides. 
 
“If a state of emergency needs to be declared to ensure such large-scale coordinated mobilisation, then the prime minister must immediately declare a state of emergency.”
 
In the event that federal agencies remain lackadaisical on the matter, Pua said Najib must return to the country immediately “with his golf irons to strike fear into the members of the National Security Council”.
 
“The council must not rest until the flood disaster is over,” said Pua. 

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