KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will donate US$1mil (RM3mil) to Thailand to help tackle its worst floods in 50 years.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the decision was made at the Cabinet meeting on Friday.
"We feel sad and sympathise with the people of Thailand following the flood.
"We notice the flood inundating a major part of Bangkok city and the areas surrounding Ayutthaya were flooded, and the people were evacuated to higher ground. We observe all this.
"That's why in the early stage we decided at the Cabinet on the aid although there was no request for it," he said.
In BANGKOK, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said she was invoking the provisions of the 2007 Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act.
Speaking during her weekly televised address on Saturday, Yingluck said the Act would help cushion the impact of floods in the country as every sluice gate would be open and allow excess floodwater to flow into the river and the sea, reports Thai News Agency (TNA).
People have been told to place their valuables to at least one metre above the ground inside their homes.
Yingluck said discharging the excess water would lessen during high tides expected between Oct 28-30.
On temporary evacuation centres, she said so far 1,743 centres had been set up and would accommodate up to about 800,000 persons. Presently, about 113,000 flood victims were taking refuge at the centres.
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