Fire Department ready to mobilise 3,000 personnel if floods worsen
PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department is ready to mobilise 3,000 extra personnel to assist flood victims if the situation worsens in the East Coast of the peninsula.
Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister, Tan Sri Noh Omar said although the second wave of floods had hit Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor, the situation was still under control.
“So far, the Fire and Rescue Department still can manage and control the situation based on the manpower and assets available in the affected states.
“If the floods worsen, we are putting 3,000 additional personnel on standby to be deployed to the affected areas at any time,” he told reporters after attending the ministry's Excellent Service Awards presentation, here, yesterday.
Noh said he was satisfied with the services provided by the Fire and Rescue personnel to the flood victims even if some of the assets used were a bit behind the times or considered ‘old'.
On another development, Noh said the ministry took note of the public complaints on the services of licensed money lending companies which tended to act like ‘Ah Long' (loan sharks).
According to the law, these companies are only permitted to charge an interest not exceeding 12 per cent on borrowers who offer collateral and 18 per cent on those without collateral.
“People must know that a licensed money lender who charges interest above the ceiling rate is actually breaking the law. He can be called an ‘Ah Long' and must be reported to the authorities,” he said. — Bernama