STEVEN Sim (Bukit Mertajam-DAP) today accused Putrajaya of practising double standards when it came to aid for victims of the Penang flood compared with those from other states.

Victims in Kelantan and Perlis received RM500 per family, while Penang’s flood victims only received half of the amount, he said.

On top of that, 21,869 families, not 52,353 affected by the flooding that swept Penang last year, will receive the RM250, he said.

Excuses like the government does not have enough funds are unacceptable when it appears that Putrajaya has millions of ringgit to spare on a “propaganda war” in Penang.

Sim had raised the question in parliament a few days ago and received a “disappointing” reply.

“It is disappointing and shocking because BN is spending millions of ringgit in Penang producing professionally done fake news videos, newspaper advertisements and waging poster wars to bring down the Penang government and yet they say they have no money to assist Penang flood victims.”

The 17-hour storm last November paralysed the island state, triggering mega floods, landslides and uprooted trees.

Thousand were displaced and seven deaths were reported.

“We are not asking for the amount to match what the Penang government gave… only to match the amount given out by federal government to flood victims in other states,” he added.

The state government has distributed RM36.6 million to 52,353 families in December, a month after the disaster. That worked out to be RM700 per family. – March 21, 2018.