Kota Kinabalu: City police have enlisted the support of boat owners in the event of major flooding in the State Capital.
“We’ve had help from the four-wheel-drive club and now we’re enlisting the cooperation of boat owners,” City Police Chief ACP Mohd Zaidi Abdullah said.
In addition to 19 four-wheel-drive cars, boat owners from Pulau Gaya, Likas, and Manggatal have agreed to help.
“A total of 39 boat owners in Kota Kinabalu comprising individuals, travel agencies and fishermen’s associations, have committed to help the police and rescue agencies manage rescue tasks in the event of floods,” he said.
He was speaking after a Flood Safety Dialogue with 75 community leaders, including boat owners and four-wheel-drive clubs at the Kota Kinabalu Police Multipurpose Hall, Wednesday.
“We met with boat owners and discussed how they might help us manage rescue operations, crime prevention activities and relief distribution during and after floods,” he said.
He said residents should not be complacent and assume that the city would only experience flash floods in the future.
“We need to be proactive and have good planning in case Kota Kinabalu is affected by massive floods,” said Mohd Zaidi, who has extensive experience dealing with flood catastrophes as the former police chief of Kota Belud.
In Kota Kinabalu, city police have identified 38 housing areas and villages that are prone to flooding, including Luyang, Inanam, Manggatal and Alam Mesra.
Kota Kinabalu experienced two flash floods this year, which necessitated the evacuation of victims on a small scale.
Both incidents occurred in Inanam, with the first involving three victims who were evacuated and permitted to return home two hours later and the second involving five who were also allowed to return home three hours later.
The Monsoon season is expected to last until February.
“Before, during, and after the floods, everyone has a role and obligation to perform. The burden of accountability does not fall solely on the security enforcement agencies or frontline personnel; everyone has a role to play and a responsibility to bear.
“When everyone understands their duties and responsibilities, we can act quickly, efficiently, and systematically,” he said.
