Fed up of waiting, the military rolls into flood relief
The Armed Forces sprang into action on Friday to help evacuate flood victims to relief centres. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: As wide-spread flooding hit five states at the weekend, the Armed Forces sprang into action on Friday, helping evacuate flood victims to relief centres, without waiting for any directive from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), FMT has learnt.
The agency, which has since received flak over its management of the flood in the Klang Valley had been initially hesitant about roping in the Armed Forces for relief efforts, a source close to the matter revealed.
The source also said that the Selangor state government was also reluctant in getting the military involved.
“It came to a point, where we (the defence ministry) decided, to hell with Nadma,” the source said. “Flood waters were already rising, we were not going to wait any longer.”
So after the Friday prayers, the Armed Forces headed to areas struck by the floods.
On Sunday evening, senior minister for defence Hishammuddin Hussein tweeted that he had briefed the Armed Forces chief of staff Mohd Zakaria Yadi, on the situation in Klang.
The source said that Mindef (the defence ministry) was also “fed-up” with Nadma and the Selangor state government.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the National Security Council would take the lead for flood relief efforts effective immediately, following the perceived tepid response from Nadma.
The source also said that the agency “didn’t know how to handle the crisis”, claiming that no one from Nadma or the state government had even bothered to monitor social media to trawl for SOS messages from victims.
The source said people from Mindef were “screaming” at Nadma personnel. And only yesterday did the agency call for a meeting to coordinate relief efforts, the source added.
“It was as if there was no sense of seriousness to the gravity of the situation. Hence, the armed forces and Mindef decided to just bulldoze (rescue efforts).”
Over the weekend, the Klang Valley, Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu were battered by heavy rain that began on Friday, which displaced more than 40,000 people.
PETALING JAYA: As wide-spread flooding hit five states at the weekend, the Armed Forces sprang into action on Friday, helping evacuate flood victims to relief centres, without waiting for any directive from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), FMT has learnt.
The agency, which has since received flak over its management of the flood in the Klang Valley had been initially hesitant about roping in the Armed Forces for relief efforts, a source close to the matter revealed.
The source also said that the Selangor state government was also reluctant in getting the military involved.
“It came to a point, where we (the defence ministry) decided, to hell with Nadma,” the source said. “Flood waters were already rising, we were not going to wait any longer.”
So after the Friday prayers, the Armed Forces headed to areas struck by the floods.
On Sunday evening, senior minister for defence Hishammuddin Hussein tweeted that he had briefed the Armed Forces chief of staff Mohd Zakaria Yadi, on the situation in Klang.
The source said that Mindef (the defence ministry) was also “fed-up” with Nadma and the Selangor state government.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the National Security Council would take the lead for flood relief efforts effective immediately, following the perceived tepid response from Nadma.
The source also said that the agency “didn’t know how to handle the crisis”, claiming that no one from Nadma or the state government had even bothered to monitor social media to trawl for SOS messages from victims.
The source said people from Mindef were “screaming” at Nadma personnel. And only yesterday did the agency call for a meeting to coordinate relief efforts, the source added.
“It was as if there was no sense of seriousness to the gravity of the situation. Hence, the armed forces and Mindef decided to just bulldoze (rescue efforts).”
Over the weekend, the Klang Valley, Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu were battered by heavy rain that began on Friday, which displaced more than 40,000 people.
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kt comments:
Since the days of my Uncles, the Armed Forces (all 3 services) prepare for the flood season each and EVERY year. Their SOPs were written aeons ago. But as the military in a so-called democracy where civilian rule prevails, they need to be triggered by civilian orders.
It seems the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma)
has been eff-ing useless. My uncles haven't heard of NADMA so it must have been instituted (for no eff-ing good) after their times.
The minister in charge of NADMA (in the PM Department) Abdul Latiff Ahmad (PRIBUMI Bersatu - a frog who leapt across to join Atuk in 2019) must be sacked, repeat MUST BE SACKED, for sheer incompetency.
Abdul Latiff Ahmad
Related:
Another minister makan gaji buta - sack him
Xiao DiDi Hisham is the best 👍 👍
ReplyDeleteinitiative not necessary by minister
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