Police swimming against the tide as they get hit by floods too

To safer ground: Residents and their cats in Taman Desa Tanjung Damai, Gong Badak, Terengganu, being taken in a rescue boat. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 31 police premises in Kelantan and Terengganu, including seven police stations, have been affected by the floods that hit the east coast.

Also inundated were 13 units of housing quarters, General Operations Force control posts (eight) and beat bases (three).

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said among the flood-affected premises in Kelantan were the Kuala Jambu, Simpangan, Rantau Panjang and Bakong police stations; Salor and Kubang beat bases; and GOF posts in Terusan and Salleh Kerek.

“In Terengganu, it involves the Kuala Jengai and Manik police stations, Jenteh traffic police station, as well as Tenang beat base,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Six of the 13 quarters units affected are in Manir, Kuala Jengai (five) and Tenang (two).

Acryl Sani, who also attended an event in Putrajaya yesterday, told reporters that police personnel had taken early measures to ensure that important documents and equipment had been moved to safer places.

Asked whether police personnel in Bukit Aman would be deployed to the east coast, he said the police had arranged for manpower assistance to places hit by floods.

“So far, we are still able to provide assistance to other security agencies in efforts to move victims to temporary evacuation centres (PPS) and ensure that the movement of aid is carried out smoothly,” he said, Bernama reported.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said flood victims who were evacuated to PPS need not worry as police had been deployed to safeguard their homes and property.

“They do not have to worry about the safety of their homes even though the water has receded.

“This is an assurance given by the police force,” he told reporters after launching the Home Ministry’s Relief Mission to the East Coast in Putrajaya yesterday.

Saifuddin said flood victims would also not have to worry if they lost their identity cards during the floods as the relevant departments had been asked to help the victims to get replacement documents.

“When the situation improves, we will expedite the process so that victims can get replacement documents as soon as possible and without having to pay any fees,” he added.

Saifuddin said yesterday’s relief mission would bring 1,000 food baskets to two places in Kelantan, namely Machang and Tanah Merah, which have been badly affected by the floods.

He said the mission mounted by the ministry, with the cooperation of Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia, was the beginning of what would be continued through humanitarian missions, especially to the east coast.

The collaboration combined the strength of the ministry, which has logistical capabilities and Yayasan Food Bank, which has the volunteers and is able to collect food items from 70 strategic partners, he added.