IPOH: Police have placed 2,401 personnel on standby in Perak, armed with logistics that can be mobilised at any time in the event of floods, said state police chief Datuk Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri (pix).
He said 91 assets of various land vehicles have been readied, including four-wheel drive, vans, lorries as well as aluminium and fibreglass boats for disaster-related assignments and operations.
“Simulation exercises to deal with disasters with other rescuers such as the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) and Ministry of Health have been held in stages.
“Our personnel are in a state of readiness, and leave has been frozen in anticipation of flooding later,” he told Bernama in his office.
It is clear that among the focus areas with frequent flooding that need assistance and relief aid are Hilir Perak, Taiping, Kerian, Tapah and Muallim.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said yesterday that he had ordered all police headquarters at the contingent and district levels to be ready to mobilise personnel and assets whenever needed to tackle floods.
According to him, police need to take heed of the devastating floods that hit the country in December last year, which tested the preparedness of security forces in dealing with disasters.
Yesterday, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said 76 areas have been identified by the Drainage and Irrigation Department as flood hotspots in Perak during the northeast monsoon season from mid-November to early next year.
The state government is taking proactive steps by dredging and deepening rivers and maintaining retention ponds to face this monsoon season.-Bernama
