Johor govt looking to put Southern Volunteers under state disaster management committee

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad (right) and state government deputy secretary On Jabbar, who is Southern Volunteers humanitarian aid chief contingent, (left) looking at some of the basic necessities donated by various companies at Johor Malaysian Games (Sukma) secretariat office in Kota Iskandar on Dec 28.— THOMAS YONG/The Star

ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Johor government is looking into putting its 20,000-strong Southern Volunteers under the state disaster management committee to be better prepared to face floods, says Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad.

“I agree that the Southern Volunteers should be put under the state disaster management committee as part of our preparation in facing the floods in Johor," said Hasni.

He added that disaster management should cover both flood preparations and post-flood recovery and said that the move will place the Southern Volunteers in line with enforcement agencies such as the police, Fire and Rescue Department and Civil Defence Force.

"We need all the help we can get when carrying out humanitarian aid," said Hasni.

Hasni said this when met after witnessing 20 companies donating various basic necessities worth more than RM400,000 to the Southern Volunteers for flood preparations at Johor Malaysian Games (Sukma) secretariat office at Kota Iskandar here on Tuesday (Dec 28).

Meanwhile, state government deputy secretary On Jabbar said they welcomed the announcement made by Hasni.

The chief of the Southern Volunteers humanitarian aid contingent added this would help attract more people in Johor to sign up with the group, especially the youth.

“We received a positive response from the public, especially following our humanitarian aid mission to help flood victims in Selangor where we helped clean houses in Hulu Langat and Shah Alam,” he said.

On also said that the Southern Volunteers was on standby to help the state government in preparing for floods in Johor.

He added that they were following the weather reports closely as the state was expected to be hit with bad weather within the next few days.

On also thanked the various companies for donating the basic necessities to them as they prepared for floods.

“If the weather is good during the period, we will channel the items to flood victims in badly-hit states such as Selangor and Pahang,” he said.