Malaysian volunteer rescue team in Hat Yai faces operational disruptions due to fake emergency reports, delaying genuine flood victim assistance.
HAT YAI: A Malaysian volunteer rescue team assisting flood-stranded compatriots in Thailand is confronting operational disruptions from fabricated emergency reports.
Sungai Petani Volunteer Fire team chairman Leong Beng Tat revealed they have been inundated with false information via WhatsApp since entering the disaster zone.
“We have received many emergency messages, but some were found to be untrue after verification,” he said when contacted today.
Leong believes certain parties are circulating fake reports to secure priority assistance for themselves.
He cited examples of unverified claims about victims in critical condition that ground teams could not confirm.
Such misinformation has disrupted operational planning and hindered efforts to reach genuinely needy victims.
“The effectiveness of our operations relies heavily on accurate information,” he stressed.
Each mission is carefully planned according to risk levels and actual victim requirements.
“Each false report can cause a delay of several minutes – and that may be the difference between being safe and not,” Leong emphasized.
He urged parties against spreading or fabricating information merely for attention or immediate assistance.
Malaysians seeking help should contact his team directly with complete details including location, victim numbers and valid contact information.
