Agencies involved in disaster management told to fine tune early warning systems

All agencies that are involved in disaster management should fine tune early warning systems, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

She said systems that were faster and more effective in detecting disasters were vital to ensure information reaches all quarters for better preparedness.

"I was informed that before Typhoon Lekima struck recently, the Malaysian Meteorological Department had issued a warning, but fishermen were already out at sea,” she told reporters after visiting the family of Marziah Che Omar, 27, who was killed in an accident during the “Super Storm” on August 9, at their home in Taman Bersatu here yesterday.

The Deputy Pirme Minister also visited the family Azimat Hasan, 62, who fell overboard his fibre glass boat in stormy seas near the Tok Arab Jetty in Jerlun the same day.

Dr Wan Azizah also spent time looking into the damage caused by the storm to the house of Saad Doon, 61, in Kampung Alor Batu, Mukim Gelong near here.

She also handed a contribution of RM20,000 to help in the repairs.

Meanwhile, Dr Wan Azizah said the Cabinet at its meeting on Aug 14 had approved an allocation of RM17.025 million via the National Disaster Aid Trust Fund to assist victims of the “Super Storm” disaster.

"This allocation will be used for procurement of materials or services for repair of damaged homes depending on the severity,” she said.

She added that each family affected by Typhoon Lekima would also receive compassionate aid between RM200 and RM500 depending on the extent of damage to their homes.

"This aid is on compassionate grounds by the Federal Government to alleviate the burden of victims and is not as compensation because loss of lives, damage to property and trauma suffered in a disaster like this is difficult to compensate,”

The tail end of Lekima hit seven states - Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Terengganu and Pahang leaving a trail of destruction of uprooted trees, damaged homes and utility lines.