Day: January 1, 2022

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1– The number of flood victims in four states continued to record an increase, while in two states, the number remained unchanged and in another, it showed a decline.

In JOHOR, the number of evacuees in the flood-affected district of Segamat continued to record an increase, to 658 people from 192 families as of noon, from 456 people (133 families) this morning.

According to the State Health and Environment Committee chairman R. Vidyananthan in a statement, another relief centre (PPS) was opened, namely at Dewan Sekolah Kebangsaan Batu Anam, bringing the total to nine.

He said the PPS at Kampung Lembah Bakti Community Hall had been closed with all victims transferred to Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan (Cina) Ai Chun, while the PPS at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Tenang had the highest number of evacuees, totalling 223 people (73 families).

The floods affected 10 villages in the district, namely Kampung Sermin, Kampung Lembah Bakti, Kampung Pekan Air Panas, Kampung Lembah Bakti, Kampung Paya Lenga, Kampung Paya Lebar, Kampung Gelang Chinchin, Kampung Tenang, Kampung Sedeng and Kampung Paya Lang.

Meanwhile, he said the water in three rivers had exceed the danger level, namely Sungai Segamat in Bandar Segamat, which is now at 9.17 metre; Sungai Muar in Kampung Awat, Segamat (20.34m) and Sungai Tangkak in Kampung Seri Makmur, Tangkak, (4.31m).

In PAHANG, the State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat reported a slight increase in the number of flood victims at noon, totalling 2,161 people at 34 PPS in seven districts, from 2,030 people this morning.

Apart from Raub, Lipis is also hit by flood again and two PPS were opened this morning to accommodate 50 evacuees.

According to the website publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my, the water in three main rivers in the state is at the danger level, namely Sungai Serting in Bera, Sungai Luit in Maran and Sungai Kechau in Lipis.

In MELAKA, the number of evacuees in Alor Gajah continued to increase with 382 people (100 families) at noon, from 96 people (29 families) at 10 am today.

Melaka Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) director Lt Col (PA) Cuthbert John Martin Quadra, in a statement, said the evacuees are at six PPS, namely, Balai Raya Gadek, Sekolah Rendah Agama (SRA) Jabatan Agama Islam Melaka (JAIM) Jelatang, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Seri Pengkalan, Surau Kampung Jeram, SMK Lubok China and Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Belimbing Dalam.

In NEGERI SEMBILAN, the state APM said the the number flood victims increased to 239 individuals (66 families) at 11 PPS as at noon today.

Meanwhile, according to the Drainage and Irrigation Department’s InfoBanjir portal, the water in two rivers in the state is at the danger level, namely Sungai Muar at Pekan Rompin, Jempol and Sungai Serting at Kampung Datok Johan, Jempol.

In TERENGGANU, the number of flood victims remained at 451 people (128 families) with all of them at four PPS in two districts in the state.

In Dungun, there are 408 people (120 families) at three PPS, namely Dewan Orang Ramai Kampung Minda (18 people from five families), Dewan Orang Ramai Kampung Shukor (225 people from 60 families) and Dewan Orang Ramai Kampung Pasir Raja (165 people, 55 families), while the remaining evacuees at in Kemaman, at the PPS at surau Kampung Ban Ho (43 people from eight families).

In SABAH, the number of evacuees remained at 504 people, involving 167 families, in Kota Marudu as at noon today.

Sabah Disaster Management Secretariat, in a statement, said the PPS at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tandek has 253 people from 97 families, while the PPS at Sekolah Kebangsaan Teritipan is providing shelter for 251 victims from 70 families.

Meanwhile, in KELANTAN the number of evacuees dropped to 482 people (154 families) at noon, from 1,129 people (363 families) in the morning.

According to the Social Welfare Department (JKM) Info Bencana application, 110 PPS are still in operation, comprising nine in Kuala Krai and one in Jeli.

In SELANGOR, the JKM Info Bencana application stated that there is no active PPS at the moment.

According to the Selangor police, three roads are still close to vehicles as at 10 am today and they are at Jambatan FT 31 Dengkil – Banting and Jalan Genting Peras – Kuala Klawang, as well as the bridge road to Lapang Sasar, Subang.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

GEORGE TOWN, Jan 1 — After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the local cruise ship industry has sprung to life with the upgraded Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal here serving as the launch pad for revival.

Tourism Malaysia Northern Region (TMWU) deputy director Siti Hajar Yunus said since Dec 22, Star Cruise Pisces had been offering a two-day, one-night cruise in the waters off Penang and a three-day, two-night vacation to Langkawi.

She said TMWU was actively promoting cruise holiday as a safe form of tourism in the midst of the pandemic.

“The tourism sector was among the most severely hit by the pandemic. TMWU is now making efforts to promote cruise tourism to people who still doubt the management of the standard operating procedure (SOP) in the industry.

“TMWU has found cruise ship operators to be serious about protecting the safety and health of tourists by instituting strict SOP, which includes antigen tests prior to boarding, physical distancing on and off ships, and allowing only one-third of their normal passenger capacity when sailing,” she told reporters here.

She was speaking at the closing ceremony of the Star Pisces One Night Familiarisation Cruise programme at the Swettenham Pier recently.

She said feedback from tour agencies and other industry players showed that the number of Muslim cruise-goers had increased by about 70 per cent since the cruise industry resumed operations nine days ago.

“Previously, there were doubts on the halal status of food and concerns on casino activities on board but actually Star Cruise provides halal food and various facilities and attractive activities on board, such as swimming pool, spa, gymnasium and karaoke centre,” she said.

Siti Hajar said the increasing Muslim interest in cruise holiday might help to attract more foreign investment into the country to boost the Muslim-friendly tourism industry.

“TMWU is also targeting to attract more young people to go on cruise tourism as this industry used to attract the older crowd. In this programme, we have brought influencers on board to publicise this package and many youngsters were keen to try it out,” she said.

Press reports had quoted the port authorities as saying that the expanded Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal is capable of allowing two mega-sized cruise ships to dock and handle 12,000 passengers at the same time.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 – The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued an orange alert of continuous heavy rain forecast for the states of Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor.

MetMalaysia, in its latest statement today, said continuous heavy rain was expected in Jerantut, Maran, Kuantan, Bera, Pekan and Rompin in Pahang; Kuala Pilah, Rembau, Jempol and Tampin in Negeri Sembilan; Tangkak, Segamat, Muar, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Mersing and Kota Tinggi in Johor; and all over Melaka until Jan 3.

MetMalaysia also issued a yellow alert of continuous rain in the southern half of Perak (Manjung, Kinta, Perak Tengah, Kampar, Bagan Datuk, Hilir Perak, Batang Padang and Muallim); Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya; Jelebu, Seremban and Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan, as well as Pontian, Kulai and Johor Bahru in Johor, which is expected to occur until Jan 3.

Meanwhile, a yellow alert of continuous rain which is expected to occur until Jan 4 was issued for Kelantan; Terengganu; and Cameron Highlands, Lipis, Raub, Bentong and Temerloh in Pahang.

In Sabah, continuous rain in the West Coast (Tuaran, Ranau and Kota Belud), Sandakan (Telupid, Beluran and Sandakan), as well as Kudat, is expected to occur until Jan 4.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 1 –The Johor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) medevacked a merchant ship crew member out of Tanjung Piai waters, near Pontian yesterday, after he fell unconscious due to electric shock.

Its director Maritime First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria said the Johor Bahru Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) deployed its personnel in Bot Kilat 18 to the vessel which was located about 5.1 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Piai, after receiving a distress call at 9.15pm.

He said the victim, Mohd Ariffin Rosman, 28, was taken to the Tanjung Pelepas Port Jetty and later rushed to the Gleneagles Hospital for further treatment.

“When we got to the vessel the victim was conscious but feeling weak,” he said in a statement here today.

He urged the public to call the MERS 999 emergency line to report any emergency incident while at sea so that assistance or support could be provided.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency