APM Ready To Face Possible Second Wave Of Floods

KOTA TINGGI, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- Some 3,000 to 5,000 officers and personnel of the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) nationwide are ready to be mobilised in anticipation of a possible second wave of floods following the northeast monsoon.

APM Training Management Division director Colonel (PA) Effendy Ali said operations would also be supported by Civil Defence Auxiliary (CDA) teams, whose membership currently totals around 5,000.

“The CDA are first responders, and if their own areas are unaffected, they will be deployed to assist elsewhere as needed,” he told reporters after launching the MADANI Adopted Village Programme at Felda Air Tawar 1 here today.

Effendy added that logistics and equipment are sufficient and ready for deployment. He also urged the public, particularly residents in low-lying areas, to stay alert and make early preparations, including safeguarding themselves, their families and important documents.

Under the MADANI programme, APM aims to adopt 200 villages nationwide. At Felda Air Tawar 1, 10 projects have been planned or implemented, including training residents as CDA members, stabilising clinic embankments and widening access roads.

The projects also include upgrading cemetery infrastructure, and providing public facilities such as toilets, fire hydrants and bus and taxi stops.

APM has also conducted Disaster Risk Reduction exercises, removed 20 hazardous trees and cleared 25 homes of vulnerable residents as part of proactive emergency preparedness.

-- BERNAMA