GUA MUSANG, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- An operation to airlift more than 17 tonnes of basic food supplies to Orang Asli communities in remote areas in Gua Musang, whose land routes have been severely damaged by the Northeast Monsoon, has been postponed due to bad weather.
The Air Unit of the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has so far delivered 383 food bags weighing 6,894 kilogrammes over three days of operations.
JBPM Air Division Operations Management Branch head Mohd Ruzaidi Ramlee said all the food bags were delivered using Mi-17-IV helicopters to Kampung Tendrik, Pos Bihai and Pos Gob from Jan 6 until yesterday.
“The Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) requested that the operation be postponed to a later date, which will be announced, due to unfavourable weather conditions,” he told reporters today.
Earlier, media reports said the food baskets were to be delivered to five Orang Asli settlements — Pos Gob, Pos Simpor, Pos Belatim, Pos Bihai and Pos Balar.
JAKOA deputy director-general (Planning and Management) Saiful Zahlan Muhamad Azmi, who was also monitoring the operation, said the delivery of the remaining 573 food baskets would be coordinated with JBPM in the near future, subject to weather conditions.
“The operation, which was scheduled to continue until Jan 9, had to be ended earlier due to unfavourable weather, in line with advice from JBPM,” he said.
He said JAKOA has been distributing food baskets in stages to all Orang Asli communities in Peninsular Malaysia affected by natural disasters such as floods and landslides, as well as other misfortunes including cut-off access, fires and hardship caused by wild animal attacks.
“For 2025, JAKOA spent nearly RM1.72 million on the supply of food baskets to people affected by disasters and other hardships,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
