PETALING JAYA: Volunteers at ground zero in Hat Yai, Thailand are appealing for Malaysian government assistance as they struggle to evacuate large numbers of Malaysians with limited resources.
“Urgent request from ground zero, there is a dire need for more manpower to bring people out from their hotels,” United Sikhs Malaysia president Sunil Shukvir Singh told The Star from Hat Yai.
“We need boats, big trucks, high level trucks, 14 wheeler trucks, so we can reach areas with waist deep water and bring people out,” he said.
United Sikhs is among the first NGOs to begin evacuation efforts in Hat Yai since Sunday (Nov 24).
Sunil said machinery support is needed, especially from the Malaysian government.
“We need help from the Government of Malaysia or any NGO who can help us,” he said.
“Please bring your trucks and manpower to bring people out from the hotels. A lot of people are suffering in the hotels because the food supply has been cut off,” added Sunil.
Sunil said that food supplies are badly disrupted as waters have risen to very high levels, adding that only some hotels are still able to provide food.
“When I say very high, it means the lobby is not accessible anymore. That means the hotel is totally cut off from any rescue work. We have to bring them out now,” he said.
Sunil added that the water has come down in some areas to waist level, saying that this means machinery and help is needed to bring people out.
He said that an estimated 2,000 Malaysians remain in multiple hotels.
“We need more help to bring people out. But you must come equipped with trucks so we can put people on the truck and bring them out,” said Sunil.
“If you bring your four wheel drive, the situation is very volatile,” he added.
Sunil said each truck costs up to RM1,000, and that evacuees cannot return to the border without a rescue vehicle.
On Tuesday (Nov 25), volunteers rescued 600 people, mostly Malaysians.
Sungai Petani Volunteer Fire Brigade chairman Leong Beng Tat went live in an emotional broadcast on Tuesday.
He urged the Malaysian government to activate official rescue efforts and appealed to the government and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to strengthen cross border coordination to speed up rescues.
The group evacuated more than 300 people on Tuesday.
