BAGAN DATUK, December 3 – Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called for the expedited construction of Bailey bridges to reconnect routes severed by floods nationwide. As Chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, Zahid emphasized the importance of rapid response, instructing the Public Works Department (JKR) and the Malaysian Armed Forces Engineers Corps to complete the installations within 48 hours to facilitate aid delivery and rescue operations.
Seven priority locations have been identified, and adequate resources have been assured by NADMA and JKR for the initiative. Speaking at the launch of the Perak Sejahtera Social One-Stop Centre in Bagan Datuk, Zahid also highlighted efforts to replace temporary Bailey bridges with permanent structures and improve flood preparedness using meteorological data. He advised patience among evacuees and directed disaster management committees to establish additional temporary relief centres to meet the increasing number of displaced individuals.
This dual focus on emergency infrastructure and grassroots welfare underscores the government’s commitment to addressing immediate and long-term flood challenges.
