PM: Disaster management committees to be activated immediately ahead of monsoon season

PETALING JAYA: Disaster management committees at the district level have been instructed to be immediately activated to face the northeast monsoon and floods.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this comes following the Malaysian Meteorological Department’s (MetMalaysia) forecast that the northeast monsoon will be from November to March 2023.

Six states are expected to be lashed with heavy rains, with Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang predicted to experience heavy monsoon rains from November to December while Johor, Sabah and Sarawak are expected to face the same from December to January 2023.

"The meeting has agreed that the district disaster management committees (JPBD) chaired by the district officer are to be immediately activated and their role in all disaster locations strengthened.

"This is because the JPBD has an important function to carry out rescue works and aid delivery at disaster locations while the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the state disaster management committees (JPBN) coordinate at the central and state level respectively," said Ismail Sabri in a statement on Monday (Sept 12).

Earlier, he chaired the central disaster management committee meeting which was attended by the Chief Secretary to the Government, Chief Ministers and Mentris Besar, the Public Service director-general, state government secretaries as well as government agencies.

He also said that RM8mil has been allocated to 160 districts for the northeast monsoon disaster management operations.

The government has also allocated RM4.8mil to provide 320 fibreglass boats equipped with engines for the districts involved, he said.

Meanwhile, 6,010 temporary relief centres (PPS) nationwide with the capacity to house 1,620,855 flood victims were being prepared by the Welfare Department.

Within the first 24 hours of the disaster, the Welfare Department must provide retort food, as well as the needs of babies and the elderly such as disposable diapers for disaster victims transferred to the PPS, he said.

The government has allocated RM2.59mil to upgrade basic facilities such as bathrooms and toilets in all PPS, said Ismail Sabri.

The Education Ministry has also been instructed that school dormitories not occupied by students during the disasters are to be used by the public, especially the elderly, children and women.

Meanwhile, Nadma has distributed 59,350 food kits and 127,272 units of cubicle tents to the PPS, he said.

"At the same time, the state and district level disaster management committees need to prepare in advance to ensure that aid supplies reach all the locations involved to avoid a more difficult situation if the road is cut off and so on during the actual disaster," said Ismail Sabri.

He added that a total of 79,549 officers, security agency members and rescuers at all levels were on full standby with multi-asset support.

"The government will also mobilise 22,622 water assets such as boats, boat trailers and owned jet skis from all agencies nationwide to face this monsoon season," he said.

The meeting also agreed that the disaster early warning sound is different from other siren sounds such as ambulances and police patrol cars to avoid confusion, he said.

Announcements will also be made by the authorities from time to time through the speaker system.

Ismail Sabri added that the state and district disaster management committees must ensure that the early warning system, especially in locations that are often flooded, were working well.

"The entire Malaysian Family, especially those living in low-lying areas and exposed to the risk of flooding are asked to always be aware of disaster early warnings and evacuate immediately if instructed by the authorities.

"All agencies involved, especially at the state and district levels are ordered to ensure smooth assistance to the affected Malaysian Families," he said.

To strengthen the preparedness of the Malaysian Family, Ismail Sabri added that 155 community-based disaster risk management programmes involving 12,534 participants consisting of community leaders, youth and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) had been held.