MTL: Over 14,000 Members From Various Agencies On Alert To Face Floods In Sabah

KOTA KINABALU, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- About 14,209 members from various agencies, including the Sabah branch of the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), are prepared to face the Northeast Monsoon (MTL) in the state.

Sabah APM director Mohd Yusoff Samad said besides the APM, other agencies involved in the preparedness include the State Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), military, Social Welfare Department and other relevant state agencies.

"As part of the inter-agency preparations involving logistics for land, sea and air, there are a total of 1,456 members, which includes 977 for land logistics, 463 (sea) and 16 (air)," he told reporters after the commissioning ceremony of cadet officers of the Civil Defence Student Corps (SISPA) at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) here today.

The MTL began on Nov 5 and will continue until March next year, with heavy rain expected in the states on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, as well as in Sarawak, and Sabah, which could result in flooding in low-lying areas and near rivers.

Mohd Yusoff said that for the APM, in the first 24 hours of a disaster, the agency will deploy 1,049 members covering 30 districts and 10 sub-districts starting from the Kudat, Kota Kinabalu, Beaufort, Keningau, Tawau and Sandakan zones.

He said that the number of officers would be increased for a maximum of seven to 14 days before being replaced by other APM officers.

Regarding the ceremony, he said that 57 members of the UMS SISPA were commissioned with the rank of Second Lieutenant after successfully completing five mandatory courses during their involvement under the public defence training module at the university,

He also said they would be stationed in their respective localities as a preparation for any disaster and emergency.

"Some are from the Peninsula, some are from Sarawak, and they will serve in the states where they live," he added.

-- BERNAMA