KUCHING: A total of 7,407 uniformed personnel consisting of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), Sarawak Security and Enforcement Unit (UKPS) including the Sarawak State Health Department (JKNS) will be deployed to prepare for the Northeast Monsoon season.

Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said, the monsoon season is expected to take place in November this year to March next year, where all those involved are prepared with the personnel and assets needed in case of a disaster.

“I was informed that in terms of personnel, the total number provided involving all the agencies as mentioned earlier is 7,407 people.

“Meanwhile, for land assets, there are 3,637 units, including vehicles and related assets while our water assets are ready with 8,619 units and for air assets, there are 14 units, including helicopters and drones,” he said.

He said this at a press conference after chairing the Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) meeting, here, on Monday.

The SDMC Chairman added that this number of personnel will be supported with 22,428 volunteers who will be ready to help face the monsoon season later.

Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah also stressed that UKPS will also be mobilised to lead operations in the field, including the establishment of a Community Emergency Response Team to monitor the situation in areas that are difficult to be immediately accessed by uniformed bodies.

“These are local community committees which have been guided to take action in the event of a disaster in the village or longhouse to ensure that no loss of lives and assets can be saved immediately.

“These committees are trained regularly because some of our villages and longhouses in Sarawak are very remote and isolated,” he added.

These more drastic preparation measures were taken after learning from the incidents that occurred in Bintulu and Miri this year.

It is understood that a total of 658 temporary evacuation centres have been identified, with instructions for all equipment to be inspected and restored for use when necessary.

Meanwhile, the Social Welfare Department under the auspice of Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah will provide assistance, including ready-to-eat food, as well as set up 28 forward operating bases for storing supplies.

The Public Works Department (JKR), Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), and local authorities have also been instructed to assess the condition of roads, hillsides, and urban areas to reduce the risk of landslides and major flooding.

Also present at the press conference were Dato Sri Fatimah, Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Administration) and Deputy Chairman of SDMC, Datu Buckland Bangik, and UKPS Director, Abdul Wahab Rahim. -UKASnews