OFFICIAL PORTAL
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
KOTA KINABALU (Mar 18): The section of Kimanis-Keningau road that was closed due to a landslip in the area is expected to be reopened by this weekend.
Deputy Chief Minister III cum Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya after inspecting the site of landslip, said clearing work there is almost complete.
“Today, I am at Jalan Kimanis, Keningau, to inspect the landslide incident site, which involves two locations: at the 11.2 km and 14.3 km marks of Jalan Kimanis, Keningau. The clearing work of the landslide has been carried out and is almost complete.
“Based on the current work progress, I anticipate that the clearing and slope-cutting works at these affected areas can be completed within the next two to three days. However, this is subject to weather conditions this afternoon or evening,” said Shahelmey.
Speaking to reporters at the site, Shahelmey said there has been some light rain, but not heavy, allowing the clearing and repair work to proceed.
In addition to the clearing and slope formation works, the contractor will also install road barriers to ensure the safety of the road once it is ready to be reopened, he said.
According to him, at the 14 km mark, a temporary road has also been built, but is only suitable for the use of light vehicles.
“Therefore, I advise the public to wait for further notice from JKR Sabah regarding the reopening of this road,” he said.
Shahelmey added that he was quite satisfied with the work progress, considering that the road has been closed for almost 10 days.
Following heavy rains in interior Sabah, the section of the Keningau-Kimanis road was closed since the second landslip on March 7.
The popular road that cuts through the Crocker Range serves as the shortest route between the interior and Kota Kinabalu.
MIRI, 18 Mac: Mangsa kejadian tanah runtuh di Kampung Lereng Bukit di sini menerima kunjungan Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Hal Ehwal Agama), Senator Dr. Zulkifli Hasan, dalam satu lawatan kebajikan bagi meninjau keadaan mereka serta menyampaikan sumbangan.
Pada lawatan itu Dr. Zulkifli turut menzahirkan rasa kagum terhadap ketabahan dan memberi kata semangat kepada Nur Irsalina Syahirah, iaitu salah seorang mangsa kejadian tanah runtuh itu dan juga bakal menduduki Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) tahun ini.
“Saya merasa kagum dengan ketabahan Nur Irsalina. Walaupun cedera, dia tetap tersenyum dan bersemangat untuk menghadapi SPM. Kami datang hari ini untuk bertanya khabar serta mendoakan agar semua mangsa, termasuk Nur Irsalina dan Encik Arabi Samsuddin, terus diberi ketabahan oleh Allah SWT,” katanya ketika menziarahi Nur Irsalina dan datuknya, Arabi Samsuddin di kediaman saudaranya di sini, hari ini.
Beliau turut berharap agar semua keluarga yang terkesan terus diberikan kekuatan dalam menghadapi dugaan ini.
“Kami mendoakan agar semua mangsa tanah runtuh, termasuk Nur Irsalina dan keluarganya, diberikan ketabahan dan perlindungan oleh Allah. Setiap ujian pasti ada hikmahnya, dan saya yakin ini akan menjadikan mereka lebih kuat serta matang dalam menghadapi cabaran hidup,” tambahnya.
Selain lawatan kebajikan, Dr. Zulkifli turut mengadakan beberapa program kemasyarakatan di sekitar Miri, termasuk program Musa’adah Asnaf dan Ihya Ramadan di beberapa masjid seperti Masjid Al-Naim Lutong, Masjid Al-Muttaqin Bekenu, dan Masjid Darul Ehsan Piasau Jaya.
“Alhamdulillah, ramai yang hadir dalam program ini. Selain mendekatkan diri kepada Allah, kita juga menyampaikan sumbangan kepada golongan asnaf serta membantu masjid dan surau yang terkesan akibat banjir.
“Sebanyak lebih 24 masjid dan surau di Bekenu menerima sumbangan dalam usaha meringankan beban masyarakat setempat yang terjejas,” ujarnya.
Lawatan kerja singkatnya ke Miri ini menekankan kepentingan kesejahteraan sosial dan perpaduan masyarakat, selari dengan usaha kerajaan dalam membina Malaysia yang lebih inklusif dan maju.-TVS
NIBONG TEBAL: Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hari ini meminta semua kerajaan negeri untuk memberikan keutamaan dalam menyelesaikan masalah rakyat, selain memfokuskan kepada pembangunan infrastruktur.
Beliau yang juga Menteri Kewangan berkata keutamaan perlu diberikan kepada penyelesaian masalah membabitkan kemiskinan tegar, isu banjir dan perumahan bagi memenuhi keperluan rakyat di negara ini.
“Kalau tanya saya apakah keutamaan selain infrastruktur, saya kata selesaikan masalah kemiskinan tegar (dan) masalah banjir.
“Takkan tiap-tiap tahun banjir, (negara) merdeka dah hampir 70 tahun tetapi banjir setiap tahun dan tidak ada langkah-langkah yang cepat dan berani,” kata beliau berucap pada Majlis Berbuka Puasa MADANI Negeri Peringkat Pulau Pinang di Masjid Abu Ubaidah Ibni Al-Jarrah, Bandar Tasek Mutiara di sini hari ini.
Pada masa sama, Perdana Menteri menzahirkan ucapan terima kasih kepada Kerajaan Pulau Pinang atas usaha membangunkan Rumah Mampu Milik (RMM) Bakat Baru MADANI, yang merupakan projek perumahan terbesar dan dijangka akan dilancarkan tahun ini.
Projek pembinaan 35,000 unit kediaman dengan nilai pembangunan kasar RM13 bilion di Pulau Pinang itu, bakal dilengkapi dengan kemudahan seperti kolam renang, gimnasium, dewan serba guna dan taman permainan.
Majlis berkenaan turut dihadiri Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang Chow Kon Yeow dan Menteri Pendidikan yang juga Ahli Parlimen Nibong Tebal Fadhlina Sidek.
Sementara itu, dalam perkembangan lain Anwar juga berharap ibu bapa dapat memberi kerjasama dan sokongan kepada keputusan kerajaan untuk membawa perubahan dalam sistem pendidikan negara.
Ini termasuk cadangan supaya 70 peratus pelajar di sekolah berasrama penuh memilih aliran Sains, Teknologi, Kejuruteraan dan Matematik (STEM) bermula pada tahun hadapan, bagi memperkukuh penguasaan dalam bidang berkenaan.
Perdana Menteri berkata meskipun perubahan tersebut tidak disukai ramai pihak termasuk ibu bapa, namun ia perlu dilaksanakan bagi mendepani permintaan industri terhadap pekerja terlatih khususnya dalam bidang berteknologi tinggi.
“Kalau buat rayuan atau tuntutan, kita tak (akan) layan kerana negara (akan) kalah. Kita bawa Infineon, NVIDIA, Arm (Limited) Microsoft, Google ke negara, tetapi anak-anak yang terlatih adalah terbatas,” kata beliau.
Terdahulu, Majlis Berbuka Puasa MADANI di Masjid Abu Ubaidah Ibni Al-Jarrah itu dihadiri lebih 1,500 hadirin.
Role of social workers in child safety
- Admin UKK
- Berita
IT is midnight in Rantau Panjang, Kelantan. Ten-year-old Ameera finds herself surrounded by water. The floods have crept into the house that is built three feet above ground.
Her father, Abe Ha, keeps watch as the levels rise. Outside, it reaches his chest. He urges Ameera, her sister and mother into a sampan. It is time to seek shelter. They push off – leaving the monsoon rains to once again claim the family’s belongings and home.
Ameera’s story is a stark reminder of the escalating climate disasters facing Malaysia. While many anticipate new beginnings each year, families like Ameera’s hope simply for a return to normalcy.
However, the devastation worsens. In December 2024, six months’ worth of rain fell in five days, causing floods that displaced over 90,000 people.
With continued rising temperatures and increasingly frequent severe floods and landslides, climate scientists predict that a quarter of Malaysia’s population may be displaced by 2030. This is no longer just an environmental issue but a child rights crisis.
Children at risk
Disasters expose children to heightened risks of violence, abuse and exploitation. Forced from their homes, they lose safety, education and healthcare.
Parents’ job losses can push them into labour, early marriage or trafficking. During the 2024 floods, at a school that was used as a temporary relief centre in Kota Baru, Kelantan, a 23-year-old male construction worker raped a 15-year-old girl – they got acquainted at the centre.
Cases like this have severe social, physical and emotional impacts, requiring a comprehensive response. Protecting children in these situations is crucial.
Social workers are the backbone of disaster response. This year’s Asean Social Work Day underlines the importance of social workers for climate resilience and response.
When crisis strikes, they are the ones ensuring that children are protected, families find shelter and those in distress receive the help they need to rebuild.
In disaster-prone areas, the shortage of social workers is a glaring issue. Currently, the ratio of child protectors to children stands at a staggering one to 108.
However, there is hope on the horizon. The minister of Women, Family and Community Development has pledged to reduce this ratio to one to 30 by 2026.
This commitment is a crucial step towards ensuring that our children receive protection and support during times of crisis.
Social workers provide vital support, including psycho-social aid, community engagement and harm prevention, particularly for children and women. They build resilient communities, ensuring the vulnerable are supported.
The government must prioritise their recruitment and training as it is an essential component of climate resilience.
Strengthening workforce
Unicef Malaysia, in close partnership with the Malaysian Association of Social Workers, has been advocating for the professionalisation of social work.
The Social Work Profession Bill, expected to be tabled in Parliament this July should include statutory provisions for a clear definition of the social service workforce, common standards for all social workers and robust regulation and accreditation systems.
We hope that the passing of the bill will further recognise the importance of social workers, the need to strengthen their capacity and bring awareness to their important role in building resilience.
The upcoming regional guidance for Asean member states on the role of social workers and the wider social service workforce in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience will further highlight their importance in disaster preparedness.
As 2025 Asean chair, Malaysia should leverage this guidance to align its social work framework with regional leaders like Thailand and Singapore.
Time to act is now
The time for decisive action is now. Malaysia has the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in ensuring that no child is left behind in the face of climate challenges. Unicef
is prepared to support in this important endeavour.
By prioritising the training of social workers, integrating their expertise into disaster response strategies and placing child protection at the forefront of national policies, Malaysia can build a resilient future for every child.
Robert Gass is a representative of Unicef in Malaysia.
BANGKOK – Sebanyak lima tan bangkai ikan tilapia dagu hitam dibuang di hadapan pejabat kerajaan Thailand bagi menuntut Perdana Menteri menangani masalah lonjakan populasi spesies invasif tersebut, lapor portal berita Thai PBS World semalam.
Kumpulan aktivits itu berasal dari 19 wilayah termasuk Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Samut Songkhram dan Samut Sakhon.
Mereka berkata, kehadiran dan lonjakan populasi ikan tersebut mencerminkan bencana alam sekitar paling teruk dalam sejarah Thailand.
Demonstrasi tersebut meninggalkan bau busuk selepas mereka dihalang masuk oleh anggota polis di pekarangan bangunan.
Sebelum ini, mereka pernah menuntut sebuah jawatankuasa untuk mengenal pasti dan mengambil tindakan terhadap pihak yang bertanggungjawab mengimport spesies tilapia dagu hitam serta penghapusan ikan itu dari negara dalam tempoh setahun.
Menurut portal Animal Diversity Web, tilapia dagu hitam dikenali sebagai spesies invasif berasal dari rantau Afrika Barat.
Ia mampu membiak setiap 22 hari, di mana ikan betina mampu melahirkan sebanyak 900 telur pada setiap kitaran. – AGENSI