OFFICIAL PORTAL
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
KOTA KINABALU, Sept 19 — The body of a Sabah Electricity worker who was swept away by strong currents while on duty in Apin-Apin, Keningau two days ago was found yesterday evening by a volunteer group.
According to Sabah Fire and Rescue Department director Mohd Pisar Aziz, Masdeh Rasmin, 35, was found at 6.18pm yesterday in Sungai Kampung Liau Laut, about 21 kilometres from where he was swept away.
Masdeh’s body was recovered by a group of local volunteers calling themselves Team Gallon Star, known for using two empty plastic gallon bottles tied to a stick as makeshift floaters to brave the swollen river.
“Today’s search focused on the Kampung Linsudan area, after the discovery of the victim’s shoe along the riverbank. The distance from where he went missing to Kampung Linsudan is about 21 kilometres,” Mohd Pisar said in a statement.
The tragedy occurred when Masdeh and two colleagues were swept away by floodwaters while attempting to cross a bridge on their way to restore electricity supply in Kampung Nuntunan, Apin-Apin.
His colleagues managed to save themselves, but Masdeh was pulled away by the strong currents.
The victim was wearing a Sabah Electricity vest and was sighted in Sungai Kepayan, but rescuers could not reach him.
PAPAR: The recent floods and landslides in Sabah will serve as a guide for the federal government to improve disaster management and rescue procedures, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Zahid, who is also chairman of the Central Disaster Management Committee, said improvements were needed to respond more quickly to floods.
The rural and regional development minister, who was speaking after visiting flood victims here, also said there was a need to build more permanent relief centres in the country's second-largest state.
He said his ministry would build a permanent relief centre in Bongawan in addition to one in Selagon, Beaufort, for flood victims.
"The location will be discussed with the state secretary and the district officer," he said.
"I have visited several relief centres. There is a critical need for a permanent relief centre in Bongawan because the area is prone to flooding."
He said the construction would start this year as the allocation had already been secured, while the construction of other such centres will depend on allocations for the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).
When asked about how the federal government would address the landslide issue in Sabah, he said his office would discuss the matter with the Minerals and Geoscience Department.
"We work closely with the department. They have identified several areas that need to be monitored."
Earlier, Zahid visited the family of a landslide victim at the Kampung Mook temporary relief centre.
At least 13 people, including seven children, have been killed in a wave of landslides across Malaysia's Sabah.
GUA MUSANG: More than 10 tonnes of rice have been distributed to 5,500 Orang Asli residents in the Nenggiri constituency here, in preparation for the monsoon season.
Nenggiri assemblyman Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani said for this purpose, a total of RM36,000 was allocated to help alleviate the burden of rural communities.
"Recently, the Nenggiri service centre, in collaboration with the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA), delivered 1,210 kilogrammes of rice to Pos Tohoi for 242 heads of households from the Temiar tribe under the Kembara Rakyat Nenggiri programme," he said.
Speaking to reporters after handing over the rice aid, he said the current rainy weather has affected the daily routines of the Orang Asli, who largely depend on farming activities.
He added that rice had previously been distributed in Pos Simpor, Pos Pasik, Kuala Wook and Pos Pulat.
Meanwhile, Pos Tohoi head Zainal Chali, 54, said the unpredictable weather had prevented residents from working, thereby reducing their daily income.
He said the villagers are affected as most of them rely on traditional livelihoods such as rubber tapping, farming and collecting forest produce full-time.
"This aid is a relief as it helps ease the burden of villagers who are unable to work due to the frequent rain. We did not expect to receive this assistance today as food baskets are usually only given during the Northeast Monsoon when residents are stranded in the villages," he added. – BERNAMA
PENAMPANG (Sept 11): A man has been reported missing after a mudslide destroyed his home in Kampung Sarapung here this evening.
The incident happened around 6pm during heavy rain, when a mudslide from a nearby hill crashed into the house, trapping the victim and a woman.
Villagers managed to rescue the woman from the rubble, but the man remains unaccounted for.
Penampang Fire and Rescue Station chief Zeno Tinggalan said an emergency call was received at 6.10pm.
He added that rescue personnel were facing difficulties reaching the site due to the mudslide.
“The identity of the victim has not yet been obtained and the search-and-rescue (SAR) operation is still ongoing,” he said in a statement.
PETALING JAYA: Continuous heavy rain since this afternoon has flooded Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru today.
Berita Harian reported that in a four-minute, 25-second video shared online, hospital staff could be seen carrying hospital equipment and motorcycles out of a flooded building.
Several social media users said in the comments that their homes and workplaces have also similarly been struck by flash floods, including in Kulai.
New Straits Times reported the hospital as saying Bangunan Lily, which houses the psychiatry and mental health specialist clinic, was inundated at about 4pm due to a drainage failure.
It said the situation was brought under control by 4.45pm, and cleaning had been completed.
State health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon visited the site to inspect the situation, and the Johor Civil Defence Force later confirmed that floodwaters at the hospital had fully receded.
Ling said the heavy rain, which started at around 2pm and only receded by 6.30pm, had caused “waterfalls” into the low-lying building.
“Based on data from the Johor Bahru irrigation and drainage department, rainwater levels were recorded as exceeding 70mm.
“The department will propose the construction of a small drain by the roadside to channel water directly into the drainage system,” he said.