FORMER Klang MP Charles Santiago has called on Putrajaya to emulate the example of other countries on how to address the aftermath of floods in a sustainable manner by implementing a national flood insurance scheme to serve as a social safety net for the vulnerable.

He said in a statement today the scheme should be made available in all states, with subsidised rates for B40 households.

He added the floods had disproportionately affected the B40 and M40 groups, “pushing them into poverty”.

Santiago gave the UK’s Flood Re Scheme as an example Putrajaya could emulate.

He said the insurance scheme is a joint initiative by the government and the insurance industry, designed to make flood cover more available, affordable and accessible.

“And it is accountable to parliament,” he added.

He said the examples of countries like Japan, Turkey, and Switzerland, which provide private insurance schemes, and the US and South Korea, which offer public ones, could also be looked into.

“Our Asean neighbours like the Philippines and Thailand have followed suit in offering public flood insurance schemes, where the premium is in proportion to the risk of flooding in a particular area.”

Santiago said schemes such as these increase affordability and accessibility to a much wider population.

“The deaths and destruction brought on by these floods serve as a warning that more work must be done to lessen the effects of climate change and that the government must immediately put protective measures in place to shield vulnerable communities from its devastating effects.

“Immediate mitigation is needed to lessen burden following floods and there is no time to wait anymore,” he said.

Several states have been hit by massive floods following days of continuous heavy rain.

As of last night, close to 40,000 people had been placed in temporary relief centres in Johor, Pahang, Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Sarawak. – March 4, 2023.