KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Welfare Department (JKM) is prepared to activate 8,481 temporary relief centres nationwide, capable of accommodating 2.1 million evacuees in the event of floods.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said 82,794 officers and personnel from various government agencies are on high alert, with 37,127 units of assets already mobilised.
The assets include 2,031 rescue boats, 1,399 4x4 vehicles, 1,646 heavy-duty vehicles, 31 helicopters, 30,260 life jackets of various sizes for victims, and 1,760 modular steel panel bridges.
"JKM is also making full use of 774 storage facilities nationwide, starting in September and October, in preparation for the northeast monsoon," he said in a written parliamentary reply.
Zahid was responding to a question from Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah) regarding the National Disaster Management Agency's (Nadma) preparations for managing floods.
He said the government, through funds channelled by Nadma to all states, has provided two types of disaster assistance namely the national disaster relief fund and death management assistance.
The national disaster relief fund offers RM1,000 to each household head affected by the disaster, provided they have been relocated or registered at a PPS.
Meanwhile, the death management assistance provides RM10,000 to the next of kin of victims who have died due to the disaster.
"If an unexpected major flood occurs, Nadma is prepared to allocate additional funding if needed, based on requests from state governments and the actual number of affected household heads," he said.
"All plans will be reviewed periodically by the government, in line with the goal of disaster management being a shared responsibility.
"The federal government, state governments, local authorities, communities, non-governmental organisations, and various other parties must work together to ensure comprehensive implementation," he added.