MALACCA: The Malacca Malaysia Civil Defence Force (APM) needs several new assets such as four-wheel drive vehicles and high-powered motorcycles to smoothen agency’s operations in delivering services especially during emergencies.
Its director Lt Col (PA) Effendy Ali said, although on average, the assets owned by APM Malacca were old, it was not an excuse for his side not to continue to give their best to the community and other agencies that needed help.
“Currently, Malacca APM needs four-wheel drive vehicles and high-powered motorcycles given that the existing assets are old and can’t be used for operations,” he told Bernama while referring to several old APM vehicles lying idle at the office compound near here today.
Effendy said the agency needed high-powered motorcycles to allow the medical team to provide early treatment to the victim when a road accident happened on the highway.
“Currently we only have one unit of high-powered motorcycle stationed at Alor Gajah APM which will be deployed immediately if there is an accident on the South-North Expressway,” he said.
He said Malacca APM welcomed individuals or corporate companies to come forward to donate assets for the use of the agency.
“Those who want to contribute can contact me directly or come to Malacca APM office,” he said.
At the same time, he also invited diving clubs or licenced scuba divers and those with diving equipment to join Malacca APM rescue diving unit.
“As of now we have only six divers with old equipment ... anybody interested to join the unit can contact Malacca APM to register as a volunteer,” he said.
He said the unit had assisted other enforcement agencies such as the police in search operations for evidence of criminal cases as well as missing persons.
Those who joined as APM volunteers would be given training by experienced trainers to ensure that they were ready before being allowed to join rescue operations with the unit’s permanent personnel, he said. — Bernama
