KUCHING (Nov 5): Sarawak has identified 679 temporary evacuation centres (PPS) statewide and is preparing forward supply bases to ensure food and other essential supplies reach communities isolated by floods and landslides during the Northeast Monsoon.

State Caretaker Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said the preparations involved various agencies under the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to ensure assistance could be delivered promptly during emergencies.

She said the forward supply bases would be set up at strategic locations, particularly in areas far from towns, to store dry rations for distribution to communities whose access routes might be cut off.

“Besides the evacuation centres, we also need to prepare forward bases where dry rations can be stored and distributed if, for example, longhouses or villages are cut off and the residents cannot move to a temporary evacuation centre,” she said.

Fatimah was speaking to reporters after officiating at the exchange ceremony of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between SeDidik Sdn Bhd and OCI Terrasus Sdn Bhd, as well as the soft launch of the SeDidik Children’s Storybook and Educators’ Book at Baitulmakmur 2 here.

She said some communities might not need to evacuate because their homes were not flooded but could still become isolated if roads leading to their villages or longhouses were inundated or otherwise inaccessible.

“In such cases, we will provide food rations and dry food supplies to those affected,” she said.

Fatimah, whose ministry oversees the state Welfare Department, said preparations also included arranging manpower for deployment at evacuation centres and operations rooms, as well as maintaining communication with district disaster committees and community leaders.

Logistical requirements, including boats and vehicles for transporting and distributing supplies, were also being prepared.

As an SDMC member representing her ministry, she said her role included coordinating social welfare assistance, particularly food aid and relief efforts for communities affected by disasters.

She stressed that effective disaster response required close cooperation among the agencies under the SDMC, which is chaired by Caretaker Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

“We don’t work in silos. We work together as one team during floods,” she said.

She said the committee comprised various agencies, including permanent secretaries and department directors, which would work together to coordinate disaster response.

Fatimah added that the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and Civil Defence Force (APM) would also assist in transporting food, drinking water and other essential supplies to affected communities.

Agencies could also share boats and other logistical resources depending on the situation, she said.

“All these efforts are coordinated by the disaster committees at the division or district level so that everything runs smoothly and we complement one another.

“Ultimately, what we want to ensure is that the victims receive the assistance they need,” she said.