KUCHING, Jan 4: Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a disaster relief task force at its Sibu service centre in preparation to assist flood victims.
PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said the party has purchased an inflatable motorised boat for the special task force’s flood relief work to enter flooded areas and a boat from a shipyard in Sg Bidut to act as a rescue vessel.
He explained that purchasing the equipment is one of the ways the party showed its support to the task force’s volunteer team and encouraged more people to join its flood relief efforts.
“With the frequent flash floods, Sibu’s flood mitigation system is severely strained under the heavy volume of rainwater and high tide, leading to unforeseen disasters in low-lying areas.
“It should be expected that floods and disasters will hit at any given moment,” he said in a statement today.
Tiong, who is Dudong assemblyman, inspected the low-lying areas in Sg Assan last night that was hit by flood due to high tide.
Hence, he added that PDP calls for more volunteers to join the team. It hopes to recruit at least 50 members and expects the team to grow to 100 members from different areas in Sibu, including Dudong, Bawang Assan, Bukit Assek, Palawan, and others.
He explained that members of the special task force will be coordinated and given basic training on how to approach flood rescue efforts with the right skills and knowledge to keep them and the flood victims safe during a rescue.
He encouraged anyone who is interested in joining the task force to contact the office of PDP Bawang Assan youth chief Joshua Ting Fu Ying or his assistant, Willie at 012-8852460. — DayakDaily
