SEREMBAN: A total of 1,135 staff of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) have joined the Civil Defence Emergency Response Team (CDERT) under a strategic partnership with the Civil Defence Force of Malaysia (APM) this year.
FAMA director-general Datuk Zainal Abidin Yang Razalli said FAMA had exceeded its target of having 1,000 CDERT members by early next year.
He said FAMA expected at least 30 per cent of its CDERT members to join APM volunteers in missions during disasters.
“The knowledge gained by FAMA CDERT through training will ensure availability of food in the country when dealing with natural disasters and crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
“FAMA is always ready to fully cooperate with APM in providing services and facilities for undertaking any disaster relief missions,” he said in a statement here today.
Earlier Zainal Abidin performed the pinning of ranks on 12 FAMA staff who were appointed as APM allied officers in conjunction with the SKT FAMA 2023 work procedure workshop in Port Dickson.
The ceremony was officiated by FAMA chairman Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh, with Negeri Sembilan APM director Leftenan Kolonel (PA) Mohd Nazri Mes Kam also in attendance.
Zainal Abidin said FAMA had been appointed as the provider of food kits to the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) for distribution throughout the country in times of disasters.
He said FAMA staff needed to be trained and equipped with skills to help the relevant departments and agencies in channelling aid and emergency assistance to target groups. - Bernama
