GUA MUSANG: Kelantan is distributing over 37 tonnes of food aid to 2,086 heads of households (KIR) of the Orang Asli community in 10 settlements via land and air after connecting roads were damaged during the recent northeast monsoon period.

District Disaster Operations Control Centre (PKOB) chairman Ab Pattah Hasbullah said the delivery operation began with a convoy of vehicles - lorries and four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles - since Thursday, whereas the rest of the food items totalling more than 25 tonnes will be delivered by helicopter.

He said the mission via land required more than 10 vehicles to reach the locations.

"More than 12 tonnes of food were delivered to four posts using 11 4WDs and a Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) lorry.

"Over 25 tonnes more of food supplies will be delivered to six settlements using the helicopter service of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Air Unit," he said in a statement today.


Ab Pattah said the operation represents the state government's initiative to help the Orang Asli community in the interiors whose communication links had been cut off during the recent northeast monsoon season. Each family involved received 18 kilogrammes of basic food supplies.

"A total of 673 families from Pos Pasik, Pos Kuala Wook, Pos Tohoi and Pos Pulat received aid including rice, rice flour, sugar, biscuits, milk, sardine, instant noodles, coffee and tea.

"Meanwhile, food aid to 1,413 KIR in Pos Gob, Pos Simpor, Pos Belatim, Pos Hau, Pos Balar and Pos Bihai will be sent through the helicopter service of the JBPM Air Unit," he also said.

Meanwhile, the JBPM Subang airbase public relations officer Mohd Hasrizal Kamaruzzaman said the operations involved three helicopters namely the Agusta 109 E (A109E), Agusta Westland 189 (AW189) and Mi-17-IV which are on standby to deliver the items, subject to good weather conditions.

"The three helicopters are already at Gua Musang but the delivery operation has been slightly delayed due to the rainy weather. The operation is expected to take three to four days depending on the current weather conditions," he added.

-- BERNAMA