One-stop centre for national disasters operational in Oct
3 August 2017 Print page
The National Humanitarian Response Depot, covering 12,486 sq metres, will store food and essential items, as well as assets for national disasters, says the deputy prime minister.
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Humanitarian Response Depot (DTBKN), which was set up as a one-stop centre to store food and essential items, as well as assets for national disaster, is expected to be operational in October, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.
He said the centre would operate based on the model of the World Food Programme – United Nations Humantarian Response Depot in Subang, which manages the United Nations humanitarian aid mission in the Asia-Pacific region.
“DTBKN will also be used as a logistics training centre and excellence centre for management of Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Response (HADR) at the international level,” said Zahid in a statement issued after chairing the Special Cabinet Committee on National Disaster Management at the Parliament main building here today.
Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim and National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) director-general Abd Rashid Harun.
Zahid said DTBKN, covering 12,486 sq metres, was set up through the national blue ocean strategy between NADMA and the defence ministry by using existing facilities at the Defence Reserve Depot (DRD) in Sungai Buloh.
DTBKN will be managed by existing officers and DRD staff, he added.
He said NADMA, with the cooperation of the Remote Sensing Agency Malaysia, had also developed an e-logistics system to ensure speedier, more systematic and effective disaster management and aid.
Meanwhile, Shahidan, when met by reporters, said the meeting today also discussed a proposal to expand the insurance scheme for flood victims.
“In principle, the chairman (Zahid) has agreed to the proposal, but it has to be fine-tuned, such as the premium amount and compensation,” he added.
The insurance scheme, known as “Model Kemaman Siapsiaga”, was introduced by Kemaman MP and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek in 2015. It also included an insurance scheme for flood victims known as “Skim Insuran Kampungku”.
Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/08/02/one-stop-centre-for-national-disasters-operational-in-oct/