APM personnel allowance raise appropriate: Shahidan

KANGAR: The increase in allowance for Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) personnel as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday is a need which should be met.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said as the frontline personnel in disasters such as floods, they have to put in long hours like other volunteers and as such the previous allowance was rather low.
In this regard, he said the request to raise the allowance of APM personnel had been carried out for sometime and allegations that the deputy prime minister made the announcement in view of the coming general election was not true.
"We thank the Barisan Nasional government for their concern and the allowance raise will be helpful to all APM personnel," he told reporters after a meeting with state Wanita Umno members at Dewan Warisan here last night.
The higher allowance would benefit about 2.1 million APM personnel throughout the country who were always prepared to provide the initial assistance in the event of a disaster and it showed the government recognised the service of these volunteers who were ready to serve at anytime, he said. — Bernama