Year: 2022

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 (Bernama) — On the fourth day, search and rescue (SAR) operation of the landslide incident at Father’s Organic Farm, Gohtong Jaya, near Batang Kali, continued to intensify with the more assets and operation expanded to the nearby river to locate the nine victims who are still missing, as of 8 tonight.

 

The SAR team today received two more PC 210 LC-10M excavators from 91 Royal Army Engineers Regiment (91 RAJD) of Batu Cantonment Camp, here, which was specially brought by the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) at around 2 pm this afternoon.

 

The addition of two heavy machines takes the total number of excavators used in the SAR operation to 10, apart from two Ground Penetrating Radar equipment that have been used since yesterday, to help searching for victims of the nearly 300 metre long and 70 metre high landslide incident.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, seven sweepers from the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) have been moved outside the ground zero search area since the excavation of the landslide earth at the sectored area has reached the original land surface of the campsite.

 

Selangor JBPM assistant director of operations Hafisham Mohd Noor said the focus of the team’s search was on the murky riverbed area to look for victims there, but surveys at all identified locations still failed to make any findings.

 

Meanwhile, the development of SAR operation on the fourth day reported that more than 80 per cent of the landslide area at the scene of the incident has been examined by rescuers so far in search of victims.

 

 

 

Selangor JBPM director Datuk Norazam Khamis said that although only about 20 per cent of the search area remains, the safety of rescuers also needs to be taken into account.

 

“The soil here is really soft and when added with rainwater, it causes the soil structure to become damp and weak, it is difficult to move in this kind of condition,” he told Bernama.

 

The SAR operation strategy has been divided into three sectors namely sector A (Hill View), sector B (Farm View) and sector C (River View) involving the cooperation of five main government agencies as well as several other support agencies, according to Norazam.

 

On the same development, Hulu Selangor district police chief Supt Suffian Abdullah in a media conference this afternoon said the police would call more individuals to help investigate the landslide incident, including the survivors.

 

According to him, the process may be done within a week or two since most of the victims who are members of Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Mun Choong, are currently still traumatised.

 

On Saturday (Dec 17), the police summoned three individuals, namely the operator of the campsite and two of his employees to assist in the investigation regarding the incident.

 

The landslide disaster that occurred at 2.42 am on Dec 16, claimed 24 lives out of a total of 94 victims, while 61 survived and nine are still missing.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

BATANG KALI, Dec 19 (Bernama) — Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director Datuk Norazam Khamis who has been working tirelessly since the Search and Rescue (SAR) operation started immediately after the Batang Kali landslide tragedy, was rushed to the Selayang Hospital after suffering a suspected minor stroke.

 

The Selangor JBPM operations centre in a statement tonight said he was still conscious and in stable condition.

 

“The operation to search for victims is ongoing. Let’s all pray for him, for Dato Wira Merah (Norazam) to have a speedy recovery,” according to the statement.

 

 

 

 

Since the first day of the SAR operation at the Father’s Organic Farm campsite in Gohtong Jaya last Friday, Norazam was one of the busiest person at ground zero.

 

From operational aspects to dealing with the media, Norazam always carried out his duties par excellence and never showed signs of exhaustion throughout his time at the scene.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

KOTA BHARU, Dec 19 (Bernama) — Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob has extended his condolences to the family of three sisters who died of electrocution in a flooded house in Kampung Bendang Surau, near Morak, Tumpat, this morning.

 

“I convey my condolences to the family of the victims of electrocution during floods in Kampung Morak. May Allah grant the family strength and patience,” he said in a post on his Facebook today.

 

Ahmad had earlier visited the family and extended cash aid to them.

 

 

 

Media reports identified the dead as Noor Fathiah Mohd Nadzir, 27; Sakinah, 29; and Nurul Syazwani, 33.

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

TELUPUD, Dec 19 (Bernama) — Taman Telupid Villa here has been chosen as the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM)  Aman Wanita (Amanita) squad’s ‘adopted neighbourhood’ (taman angkat) aimed at empowering the community in the area, especially housewives, to take proactive measures to maintain security by becoming the eyes and ears of the police.

 

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Idris Abdullah said housewives were usually left to fend for themselves when their husbands go to work and their children go to school, resulting in them becoming potential targets among criminals.

 

“Amanita implements programmes that disseminate information about crime prevention and educate the public on how to gather information about suspicious-looking individuals which actually facilitates police in apprehending criminals.

 

 

 

“I believe Amanita has collected all data about the residents in the neighbourhood and also the house numbers and they probably will create a communication network such as a WhatsApp group that will establish a relationship among residents and the police,” he told reporters after launching the Amanita adopted neighbourhood today.

 

Idris also advised the squad to be active in planning and organising safety programmes with the community.

 

Telupid assemblyman Jonnybone J Kurum said the security programme managed by Amanita had merit.

 

 

 

“Being a good and responsible neighbour, any information about crime, especially crimes that are seldom reported like domestic violence will not be ignored. Instead, the crimes will be contained with the help of the police which will eventually create a harmonious neighbourhood,” he added.

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

 

BATANG KALI, Dec 19 (Bernama) — A special sweeper team has been deployed to locate the nine remaining victims of the Father’s Organic Farm landside in Gohtong Jaya here on the fourth day of the Search and Rescue (SAR) operation.

 

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant operations director Hafisham Mohd Noor said seven members of the sweeper team will focus on the river located at ground zero of the search area.

 

“Since excavation efforts at the current area has reached a negative level, meaning we have reached the original ground of the campsite, and having failed to locate any victims, we decided to deploy three sweeper team members to search for victims outside ground zero.

 

 

 

“The focus of the search is the murky areas of the stream to search for victims there. We have already done a survey of all the locations we identified, but we still failed to find anything,” he told reporters at a media conference at the incident site here today.

 

Hafisham also said the search team decided to cut down some trees and use them as flooring for excavators to travel over the difficult soft ground to reach the SAR site

 

Meanwhile, Hulu Selangor district police chief Supt Suffian Abdullah said 124 rescuers have been assigned to work with 11 excavators to locate the remaining nine missing victims.

 

 

 

“We (the rescuers) will not give up hope, and we will work hard and redouble our efforts to find them,” he said.

 

He also informed that the wife and child of one of the nine victims visited the search site to check on the victims’ list and confirmed that their names were on the list.

 

The rescue operation has entered the fourth day and is expected to continue until late at night following good weather conditions and no rain.

 

The landslide tragedy happened at 2.42 am Friday and resulted in the deaths of 24 victims, with another nine still missing out of a total of 94 people. Sixty-one victims survived.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

PETALING JAYA, Dec 19 (Bernama) – It must have been an unforgettable day for M. Neranjan who despite his learning disability took just two weeks to memorise the choreography for his solo Bharatanatyam performance which wowed the audience at the ILHAM 2022 concert today.

 

The 17-year-old started learning the Indian classical dance four years ago from his mum and by watching videos on YouTube. He also knows traditional Malay and Balinese dances.

 

“I was interested in dancing for a long time but was shy to perform in front of people because I was afraid of being teased and laughed at.

 

 

 

“But my teacher and mum gave me a lot of encouragement and I performed during a Deepavali celebration last year. Now I’ve stopped caring what people think of me,” said the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Desa Perdana student enrolled in its Integrated Special Education Programme (PPKI) who dreams of becoming a professional dancer one day.

 

Organised by OKU Sentral [a non-governmental organisation representing the interests of people with disabilities (PwD)] to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022, ILHAM 2022 showcased the talent of the community, including its president and Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman, Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi, who sang.

 

The concert, which was held at Stage 1, Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPAC) in 1 Utama Shopping Centre was divided into two sessions and featured performances by Khai & Dinie, Umar Hasfizal, Shahril of Muniros, Eyelitz and many more from the PwD community.

 

 

 

It was supported by Yayasan Hasanah, CIMB, Yayasan CIMB, Yayasan Sime Darby, Yayasan Telekom Malaysia, Celmonzee Wellness and Glenreagh Sdn Bhd.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency