Federal-state govt collaboration necessary to face northeast monsoon

KOTA KINABALU: Collaboration between the federal and state governments is necessary in facing any eventuality brought by the Northeast Monsoon season, including floods, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions) Datuk Dr Abdul Latif Ahmad.

"Due to this, both governments should discuss the thorough preparations in anticipation of the monsoon season, which is expected to hit the country from this October to March next year.

"This is just the beginning, we are still in the Southwest Monsoon season, and we expect the weather conditions to be worse when the northeast monsoon begins.

"Among the things we have to do is seeing how the state governments are preparing with the help of the federal government. The Civil Defence Force (APM) together with other agencies are ready in terms of assets and personnel," he told reporters after visiting the Sabah APM headquarters, here, today.

The Northeast Monsoon is the main rainy season in the country, which brings heavy rainfall that causes major floods in the states, especially on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Abdul Latif, who was on a two-day visit to Sabah, which ended today, said he wanted to personally inspect the flood that occurred in Sugud, Penampang. He was briefed on it by the Sabah State Disaster Management Committee.

"I decided to make a Cabinet note to be tabled tomorrow to give the Cabinet members an understanding of the floods that occurred in Sabah. When a disaster occurs, various requests and actions need to be taken by the state and federal governments," he explained.

Meanwhile, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor, in a statement today, said he received a courtesy call from Abdul Latif at Sri Gaya here yesterday, where both leaders discussed the flood disaster and assistance allocation for infrastructure repairs to be channelled by the federal government.

Hence, he urged the federal government to rebuild the infrastructure damaged by floods and upgrade the existing rivers as well as irrigation and drainage systems.

-- BERNAMA