THE repair works of the four mosques and a surau under the Datuk Keramat constituency affected by the Nov 4 and 5 storm have been completed, laying to rest claims that the state government is anti-Islam and anti-Malay.
Exco for Housing and Town and Country Planning Jagdeep Singh said a total of RM25,000 which is his personal contribution as the assemblymember for Datuk Keramat was spent on the repair works of Acheh Kebun Lama Mosque, Sheikh Eusoff Mosque, Rawana Mosque, Wan Chik Ariffin Mosque and Taman Free School Surau.
“As the assemblymember, I want to help in whatever way that I can.
“Apart from these mosques, we will also help the Non-Islamic Houses of Worship (RIBI) such as temples and gurdwaras, if they had suffered any damage.
“There are also other applications involving the mosque and RIBI which will be processed,” he said in an interview with Buletin Mutiara on Dec 12.
According to Jagdeep, the natural disaster which occurred on Nov 4 and 5 was something unexpected including himself.
Nevertheless, the state government through the “Pulau Pinang Bangkit” programme has allocated RM100mil for a RM700 one-off payment to those affected.
Other than that, Jagdeep said he and his team had successfully completed the repair works at five residences located at Datuk Keramat, which were badly damaged in the disaster.
Provisions such as mattresses, rice cookers, stoves and toasters were given out to over 3,000 families as well.
Jagdeep once again expressed his disappointment with the federal government for being reluctant in channeling disaster relief funds to Penang.
He pointed out that Malaysians in Penang are sidelined as the federal government until now has not granted the RM1 billion allocation for the Flood Mitigation Plan (RTB) projects in the state.
“Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) himself came down to Penang and saw the condition in Penang, but still did not immediately channel the RM1bil allocation for RTB, as appealed by the state government.
“This RM1 billion is important to reduce the risk of floods, including at Datuk Keramat constituency which has Sungai Pinang and its tributaries,” said Jagdeep.