KUCHING: The state Civil Defense Force (APM) is set to receive a large chunk of a RM50-million government allocation for its operational equipment this year.
According to APM deputy director-general (Management) Sukiman Ahmad, Sarawak APM still needs a lot of improvements, especially in terms of assets, to deliver better services to disaster victims.
“The planning for APM in 2018 and 2019 is for the distribution of operational equipment, where the government allocates RM50 million to distribute. That allocation will largely be given to Sarawak.
“We are still in the process of preparing the specifications and tendering (the equipment),” he said during a press conference here.
He added that he expects the operational equipment to be available by the end of this year.
Sukiman also said Sarawak APM will be supplied with three more aluminium boats this year, which are from the previous allocation.
“We have allocated three 32-foot aluminium boats to Sarawak APM and these will be delivered by August this year. It was given to Sarawak APM from the previous allocation, but Sarawak APM had not received them yet,” he added.
Sukiman spoke in conjunction with the visit of senior deputy secretary-general of the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki Ali, to the Sarawak Civil Defence Centre yesterday.
Also present during the press conference was Sarawak Federal Secretary Datuk Mansor Man and APM state director Mohtar Samat.