SHAH ALAM, Nov 29 — Leave has been frozen till January for over 500 Quick Response Team (PANTAS) members in 12 Selangor local authorities during the northeast monsoon.
State executive councillor for local government and tourism Dato’ Ng Suee Lim said this is so the team can serve the public as best as possible.
“We need to always be ready to mobilise, including the local councils’ PANTAS teams. All are aware and we do not allow them to take leave at this time.
“If a disaster hits, they will go directly to the location,” he told reporters when asked about flood preparations in Selangor after officiating the Menteri Besar (Incorporated) Integrity Day at the Shah Alam Convention Centre here today.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant operations director Ahmad Mukhlis Mokhtar reportedly said today that 117 flood victims from 29 families have been evacuated to temporary relief centres in Klang.
Ng also said the state government was studying the flood situation in the East Coast, especially in Kelantan to mobilise their local authorities’ machinery to help the people there.
“But we leave this matter to Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari to decide. If there’s a need, we will try to help because it’s a disaster. We need to help and the spirit must be there,” he said in comments on whether state local authorities would mobilise to Kelantan as the number of flood evacuees rose to 59,232 people in 221 relief centres this morning, a drastic increase from 50,947 people in 207 centres last night.
— Bernama
