PUTRAJAYA, Jan 5 (Bernama) — Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today sent off the Prime Minister’s Department flood relief volunteers’ convoy to Kelantan which would focus on the post-flood cleaning works on buildings of public interest.
With the ‘tag line’ “JPM Prihatin” (Caring JPM), the six-day mission to Kelantan would carry out cleaning works on locations affected by the floods such as the mosques, hospitals, schools and public premises. This is an initiative by the Prime Minister’s Office involving 5,000 members of the PMO Club, Kelab Bukit Perdana Jabatan Perdana Menteri, together with the Malaysian Scouts Federation and several non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The mission will move in stages with the first series beginning today until Jan 11 moving to Kelantan involving 1,500 JPM volunteers, followed by missions to the other states in the subsequent series to provide post-floods community services.
The aid mission would also distribute contributions of essential goods to the flood victims.
In his speech, Muhyiddin suggested that more people and government employees should come forward voluntarily to ease the burden of the flood victims.
He said the tasks after the floods were more challenging because they had to tackle the trauma faced after the destruction of houses and properties due to the floods.
“This represents a major trust and task that had to be borne together. We will not neglect them (flood victims). We must get down to the villages and help them to return to normal.
“The thick mud is not easy to clean as it needs special tools and support from various groups,” he said.
Muhyiddin, who is also chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, said he had instructed the committees at the state and district levels to make an estimate of the losses to see the damage caused.
“Losses due to the floods are estimated to be in the billions and it is difficult to evaluate,” he said.
At the function, Muhyiddin received the JPM Flood Aid Volunteer contributions from Tanjung Wahyu Sdn Bhd (RM1 million), Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (RM200,000), Pan Asiatic Technologies Sdn Bhd (RM100,000) and Komuniti Masyarakat Aceh Malaysia (RM200,000).
Also present were Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa and the Director-General of the Public Service Department, Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the JPM Volunteers, Datuk Shahlan Ismail said the first mission would give emphasis on cleaning works especially at locations that were badly affected by the floods, namely Kota Baharu, Tumpat and Pasir Mas.
“This time, we are not bringing food but 150 water tanks and water jets which had been modified according to the needs to assist in cleaning works,” he said.
The mission would go to Perak and Pahang in the subsequent phases, he added.
— BERNAMA
