JERTIH, March 19 — The Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) has selected ten villages in nine states to implement its Kampung Siaga 221 disaster preparedness initiative.
APM Policy Planning and Coordination Division director Mohd Yusoff Samad said Kampung Siaga 221 had each been set up in Sarawak, Perak, Pahang, Sabah, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis, Penang and the latest in Selangor today.
He said there were two Kampung Siaga 221 in Terengganu, namely Kampung Pasir Raja, Dungun, where the project was first launched in November last year and Kampung Belaoh.
“For the rest of the states (Kampung Siaga 221) will be set up before the end of this year,” Mohd Yusoff told reporters after the launching ceremony for Kampung Siaga 221: Disaster Resilient Communities, hosted by Terengganu APM in Kampung Belaoh, Hulu Besut yesterday afternoon.
The programme was established to train the public in disaster areas to prepare for any type of disaster, especially floods that often occur in this country, enabling communities to act quickly in rescuing victims, among other things.
He said residents in the relevant areas would be trained to provide an early response to disaster incidents while waiting for the security agencies.
“The number of Kampung Siaga 221 in each state depends on the risk assessment of the frequency of disasters (floods) in each district in the state involved.
“For example, in Terengganu, the APM will identify other districts that are disaster-prone such as Dungun or Kemaman to be the next Kampung Siaga 221,” Mohd Yusoff added.
— Bernama
