Day: March 6, 2023

KUALA TERENGGANU, March 6 (Bernama) — The Terengganu Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has identified suitable sites for the construction of fire stations in Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian.

Its director Hassan ‘As’ari Omar said the department had sent an application to the District and Land Offices of Kuala Nerus and Besut to obtain approval and manage related procedures.

“It is understood that the application is currently undergoing approval,” he said at the Terengganu JBPM headquarters here today.

He said the construction of fire stations in Pulau Redang and Perhentian is necessary considering that these locations have many residents and are exposed to various risks of accidents, especially fire.

“The construction of a grade D fire station is estimated to cost between RM4 million and RM5 million. We hope the construction can be expedited because it is very important for the safety of the residents,” he added.

Meanwhile, Hassan ‘As’ari said the Terengganu JBPM Red Team is ready to be deployed to Johor if needed to help flood victims in the state.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SEGAMAT, March 6 (Bernama) — For some folk here, the flood season sometimes brings unexpected bounty. especially when they cast fishing nets in flooded areas around Chaah in the district.

For estate worker Mohd. Rizan Hamzan, 33, he and his friends and family members have been casting nets for fish since the last four days when Segamat was hit by the latest wave of floods.

“It is just for fun. When I get fish, I share with the neighborus and I can also make side dishes at home.

“We cast two fishing nets, Alhamdulillah, we got close to 20 kilogrammes of fish since we started, then we shared it among friends and family members,” he said when met while fishing by the Sungai Bekok Dam in Chaah Baru, here, today.

Among the fish caught were jelawat, catfish, talapia and lampam, said Mohd Rizan, who lives in a nearby oil palm estate.

Meanwhile, his friend Faizal Mohamad, 21, said some of the fish caught were believed to have come from a nearby fish pond that overflowed.

In addition, the freshwater fish are also believed to have come from water spilled from the Sungai Bekok Dam.

“Usually we use these fish for side dishes for our own consumption and give to our neighbours, we get a lot of them.

“We always go fishing, cast nets when the monsoon season arrives, but (it seems) this is one of the biggest catches we have ever had, because of the floods,” said Faizal, who lives in Kampung Haji Mian, Batu 17, Chaah Baru.

Checks by Bernama around the area also found that in addition to local villagers, many foreign workers also took the opportunity to catch fish, which they described as a golden opportunity for them to get a “free” meal for home.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

ROMPIN, March 6 (Bernama) — The Pahang government will provide monetary assistance to heads of households (KIR) who have been hit by the current flood disaster, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.

He said the state government will adopt the previous standard operating procedures (SOPs) of providing monetary assistance, such as that given to victims who move to a temporary relief centre.

However, he did not specify the amount of assistance to be given.

During the floods in January this year, each KIR in Pahang affected by the disaster received RM1,000 in aid from the federal government, channelled through the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), and an additional RM500 from the state government.

Wan Rosdy also said that the state government will mobilise a team of volunteers to help with the cleaning-up process once the flood recedes.

“I hope that all flood victims will comply with the instructions issued by the authorities, whether they are asked to evacuate or if they have not been allowed to return home due to safety factors, to avoid unwanted incidents,” he said.

Wan Rosdy said this to reporters after visiting the relief centre at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tanjung Gemok, here today, which has been open for the past two days to house 466 people.

He also said that the state government will submit an application for a permanent bridge to be built to replace the road damaged by the floods, on the main road of Felda Selancar here.

“I had a discussion with the Public Works Department (JKR) and the department suggested that a bridge be built instead of a new road, because of the risk of the road being damaged again (if a similar disaster occurs),” he said.

In addition, the state government allocated RM200,000 to construct a temporary road to a palm oil mill in Felda Selancar 2A, which was also damaged by the floods, to ensure that the delivery of palm fruit by residents was unaffected.

Wan Rosdy said that the district’s JKR is currently making an assessment of the value of the damage caused by the floods which occurred over the past five days.

Apart from Rompin, other districts which have been affected by floods are Raub, Maran, Jerantut, Pekan, Bera and Temerloh.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

ALOR SETAR, March 6 (Bernama) –The Local Government Development Ministry (KPKT) through Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) managed to establish 32 drive-thru recycling centres (DTRC) in seven states that adopted Act 672 in the first 100 days of the Unity Government.

Its minister Nga Kor Ming in a statement today said the seven states are Kedah, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor, Perlis and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with Kedah recording 11 DTRCs.

“The initiative to provide the DTRC is in line with the aim of the National Cleanliness Policy, which is to have recycling collection points in residential, industrial, commercial and institutional areas by targeting a two per cent increase in the number of waste recycling facilities every year to improve efficiency and management of solid waste, ” he said.

Earlier, Nga visited the DTRC at Kelibang Wet Market, in Kuah, Langkawi today. The DTRC has managed to collect about 50 tonnes of recyclables since it opened in November last year.

The DTRC facility, a user-friendly initiative makes it more convenient for the community to send recycled wastes that have been sorted and segregated while encouraging the public to recycle and therefore help achieve Malaysia’s 40 per cent recycling rate by 2025.

Nga said the DTRC construction which is in line with the ‘Waste to Gold’ concept enables the public to make some side income from recycling activities in addition to supporting the transition from linear to cyclical economy in solid waste management which can reduce reliance on new raw materials to produce goods.

He said KPKT through SWCorp plans to continue to increase the number of DTRCs from time to time to boost recycling activities thus help improve the national recycling rate.

“The establishment of DTRCs will increase the demand and market value of recycled goods. This will indirectly contribute to the growth of the recycling industry in Malaysia,” he said.

In the meantime, Nga also officiated at a ceremony today to hand over letters of offer to 867 successful applicants to occupy homes under the People’s Housing Programme (PPR) involving Anggerik Lestari PPR (Kuah) and Indera Mahsuri PPR (Ulu Melaka) ).

Nga said all the successful applicants were offered home ownership through the Rent-to-Own (RTO) Scheme which offers PPR rental for a period of between five and 20 years.

“The offer to own will be given every five years by making the full balance payment on the condition that the tenant is consistent in making rent and maintenance payments. The rental is as much as RM225 per month and an additional RM140 for the maintenance fee. The total payment is RM365 per month,” he said.

He said as the monthly rental is RM225 for a period of 20 years (maximum), the price paid for the unit is only RM54,000 compared to the cost of construction which is estimated to be worth RM250,000.

The Kuah PPR project involves the construction of 500 housing units worth a total of RM138,365,000 while the Ulu Melaka PPR comprising 500 units is worth RM125,500,000 and each project has five units specially catered for people with disabilities (PWD).

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SEGAMAT, March (Bernama) — The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has deployed its personnel from the KD Sultan Ismail in Pengerang to help flood victims in Segamat.

KD Sultan Ismail Pengerang Johor Marine Technician, Warrant Officer II, Mohd Shahriman Saim said that starting last Wednesday, two teams comprising 12 and 14 members respectively, have been stationed in Segamat for four days each.

According to him, the teams had previously been deployed to help flood victims in Kota Tinggi.

“Our challenge this time is to deal with strong currents and exercise vigilance when handling the boat to evacuate flood victims to the relief centres,” he told Bernama when met recently.

Mohd Shahriman said each team was equipped with a boat, a three-ton lorry and two diving sets.

He said their operation involved helping stranded victims and sending them to the relief centres, sending food aid and providing logistical assistance.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan when visiting the flood victims here, announced that 1,500 Armed Forces personnel were deployed to help flood victims in Johor with 28 boats, eight lorries and 25 trucks, including Armed Forces Medical Corps, Armed Forces Royal Engineer Corps and technical units.

Following the severe floods in Johor, the ministry also dispatched navy personnel for the first time to help flood victims along with other government agencies, he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SEGAMAT, March 6 (Bernama) — Although cubicle tents are provided at the temporary relief centres to provide comfort to disaster victims, there are a few who are irresponsible by taking home the tents.

Segamat social welfare department (JKM) officer Mohamad Kamil Helmi Mohd Pang said such behaviour clearly violates the directive which is usually committed by flood victims when a PPS is closed.

“They like it, they think it’s beautiful and they take it home. For example, when we provide 1,000 tents, usually a hundred or two hundred tents will be missing,” he told Bernama when met at Sekolah Kebangsaan Gemereh relief centre, here.

He said that usually after being used, the cubicle tents will be stored in various stores either at JKM stores, schools or community halls to make it easier for them to be distributed immediately to relief centres that are opened.

He said the Sultan Ibrahim Johor Foundation had also contributed a total of 25,000 cubicle tents at the beginning of last year for the use of flood victims of which 10,000 were distributed to JKM Johor and Civil Defence Force (APM) for a total of 15,000.

Meanwhile, an evacuee Zarina Talib, 43, said that previously she was often upset, worried and reluctant to relocate thinking about the lack of comfort and privacy in a relief centre.

Zarina who comes from Seberang Badak Village, here, said that about seven to eight years ago the condition at a relief centre was uncomfortable because families were placed together in one place, without any barriers separating each family.

The mother of a 15-year-old daughter said it made her feel uneasy, especially for those who are sickly or women who are in confinement after giving birth because there is no privacy or separate space for them.

However, the housewife, who has experienced staying at relief centres almost eight times, observes that every year, the facilities at relief centres keep improving with the most significant changes in terms of accommodation management where families are provided with cubicle tents.

In this regard, she said the irresponsible behaviour of flood evacuees who took the cubicle tents home should be stopped because it will inconvenience other disaster victims in the future.

Meanwhile, another evacuee at SK Gemereh, Rahmat Abdul Latif, 73, said the tent was very comfortable because of its larger size, height and quality.

He said that the public should take better care of the facility because it is for common use and not private property.

“However, it would make better sense to provide cubicle tents according to the number of members of a family. For example, if there is only one evacuee, a smaller tent is sufficient,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SEKINCHAN, March 6 (Bernama) — Padi farmers nationwide are encouraged to emulate farmers in Selangor in managing their fields including applying the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said padi farmers in Kuala Selangor and Sabak Bernam had succeeded in producing between six and 10 metric tonnes of rice per hectare for one season using the modern technologies.

“If all the padi farmers in this country can reach an average of six metric tonnes, we will have sufficient rice supply in Malaysia, if we exceed six tonnes, we will be able to export our rice abroad.

“We hope that the technology here can be used in other states, such as the use of transplanter that can remove weeds so that all the fertilisers can be absorbed by the crops,” he told reporters when visiting the Jelapang Padi Selangor here today.

Meanwhile, Mohamad said that Agrobank is offering a six-month moratorium to farmers affected by the recent flood disaster.

He said the farmers can apply at any Agrobank branch from today.

“The bank also waived card or passbook replacement charges for padi farmers and farmers affected by the flood,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency