KUCHING: The Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) is well prepared to face the monsoon transition phase that is bound to occur this week.
APM secretariat chief Maj (PA) Ismail Mahedin spoke to New Sarawak Tribune yesterday on the preparations by APM.
“We have organised a series of exercises and simulations for all members at the district and division levels to ensure that everything — personnel and logistics equipment — is functioning as planned.”
APM has provided 30 officers and 300 members for the first four hours of disaster and the number can be doubled in the next 24 hours (60 officers and 600 members).
In an interview with Astro Awani, Maj Ismail also informed that a total of 14,970 personnel would comprise APM, RELA, Fire and Rescue Department, police, Malaysia Armed Forces, Sarawak Welfare Department and Sarawak Health Department.
The Meteorological Department had said that the monsoon transition phase, which brings heavy rain and thunderstorms, had been predicted for the whole country this week, including Sabah and Sarawak.
The transition period is not expected to cause heavy floods but flash floods could potentially occur in areas which do not have good drainage systems.
