Rohani (centre), flanked by officers from several government departments spending some time with Civil Defence Department personnel in the kitchen.
Essential items in forward bases may last 7 days, instead of the current 3
TATAU: The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has proposed that the stock of essential items in forward bases nationwide should last seven days instead of the current three.
Its minister Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim said the proposal was presented to the government because her ministry was responsible for ensuring the welfare of flood victims.
“We have to ensure that the disaster kits are sufficient for all the victims,” she told reporters after a flood briefing given by Tatau district officer Nyurak Keti at Tatau District Office yesterday.
Rohani said there were 85 forward bases in the state, but the supply of essential items at each one of them could only last three days.
“Tatau has three forward bases, and I would like to congratulate everyone concerned for distributing the supplies to the victims.”
On the special disaster committee meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyidin Yassin last January 3, she said one area that was deliberated upon was the need to strengthen logistics management by allocating more assets to the agencies involved.
In the case of Sarawak, for instance, State National Security Council chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu requested for 40 Horse Power (HP) boats, and 10 such boats were immediately approved for the time being.
“These boats can ferry 15 people at any one time.”
Rohani said the meeting also discussed the need for the National Security Council to come out with a different and more detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) when dealing with extreme disasters.
In other words, she said, all agencies involved in tackling natural disasters, including the Social Welfare Department, had a lot of work to do to improve their efficiency.
“During the meeting, the private sector was also urged to get involved in helping flood victims. For example, they could help by converting their warehouse into temporary relief centres, especially for those living near the affected areas.”
On the rainy season, Rohani said everyone should be on the alert as the Meteorology Department had warned that rain and bad weather conditions were expected to persist until March this year.
As of January 4, a total of 137 areas in Sarawak were flooded, affecting 21,485 people from 3,881 families. Total relief assistance for the victims amounted to RM215,045.
Miri was the worst hit, with 70 areas, followed by Sibu (26), Mukah (20), Betong (5), Sri Aman and Sarikei (4 each), Bintulu and Kuching (3 each), and Samarahan (2).
In Bintulu, only three areas were badly affected, involving 149 people from 39 families.
In Tatau, three areas were flooded, namely Kampung Dagang, Kampung Baru and Kampung Seberang, involving 31 families.
To-date, 98 evacuees from 28 families are still staying at Tatau Sports centre, which was converted into a relief centre.
“This morning, we received reports on landslide at the back of Rumah Nibong and flooding at Rumah Ado. Police personnel has been stationed nearby these areas to lend a helping hand should the water level continue to rise,” said Rohani, who distributed cash to flood victims at the relief centre.
The donations were from Yayasan Kebajikan Negara.
Also present were Deputy Bintulu Resident Richard Michael Abunawas, Senator Datuk Pau Chiong Ung and senior officers from Social Welfare Department.