ATM READY TO DEPLOY ADDITIONAL ASSETS, PERSONNEL AS FLOOD WORSENS

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) is prepared to deploy additional assets and personnel to assist flood victims as the situation worsens.

Chief of Defence Forces Gen Tan Sri Mohammad Ab Rahman said 5,600 personnel have already been mobilised for flood relief operations and stationed in areas expected to be affected.

“The directive to conduct flood relief operations was issued in September, so the personnel and assets have been on standby and positioned in flood-prone locations.

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“With the current situation, they have already been deployed to the affected areas. If additional resources are required, commanders on the ground will assess the situation and make the necessary adjustments.”

He said this to reporters after the Navy Run 24 event at Dataran DBKL, held in conjunction with the KL Car Free Morning programme today.

Also present were Navy Chief Admiral Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain and ATM Chief of Staff Lt Gen Datuk Arman Rumaizi Ahmad.

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The second edition of Navy Run attracted over 6,000 people from various walks of life.

Mohammad further said the ATM would also assist in transporting Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates in remote areas to examination centres if floods persist when exams begin tomorrow.

Regarding the Air Force base in Kepala Batas, Kedah, which houses the Air Force College and is affected by floods, he said training activities for cadets will be temporarily halted if the situation does not improve.

“We will wait for the situation to improve before resuming activities,” he said.

The flood situation in nine states across Peninsular Malaysia has worsened, with the number of evacuees in relief centres rising to 152,377 this morning, compared to 146,611 last night.

-- BERNAMA