Fire and Rescue Department airlifts over 17 tonnes of food to remote Orang Asli villages in Gua Musang cut off by monsoon-damaged roads.
GUA MUSANG: The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department has begun a four-day operation to airlift more than 17 tonnes of essential food supplies to remote Orang Asli communities.
The communities have been cut off from land access due to severely damaged and muddy roads following the Northeast Monsoon.
The operation is being carried out using an Mi-17-IV helicopter with 22 flight crew members to several settlements, including Pos Gob, Pos Simpor, Pos Belatim, Pos Bihai and Pos Balar.
On the first day, 203 food baskets weighing 1.8 kilogrammes each were delivered to Kampung Tendrik in Pos Bihai.
Senior Supt Mohd Ruzaidi Ramlee of the JBPM Air Operations Division said only 3.6 tonnes of supplies were delivered to one location due to cloudy weather conditions.
Kampung Tendrik Orang Asli Development and Security Committee chairman Apek Asud said the monsoon had disrupted travel for residents in the interior.
This prevented them from travelling to town to obtain food supplies.
He expressed appreciation to the MADANI Government for its assistance to the affected communities.
“The food baskets received today have helped ease the burden on residents, who are currently relying on small-scale farming as their source of food,” he said.
He added that they must wait for weather conditions to fully improve so the access roads can dry out and become passable for all vehicles.
