Kuala lumpur: A total of 15 permanent disaster relief centres (PPKB) involving nine states are expected to operate in stages starting this year, in an effort to strengthen the national disaster management system. Deputy Digital Minister Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong, representing the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW), said that out of the total, one PPKB each in Johor and Pahang has been fully completed, nine are under construction, and the remaining four are at the procurement and planning stages.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the dual-function initiative introduced in 2023 aims to reduce reliance on school premises, which are often used as temporary relief centres (PPS) during disasters. "PPKB is specially designed for use during disasters and functions as a community facility during normal times to avoid wasting public assets. This measure is also to ensure that students' school sessions are not disrupted due to floods," Kumbong stated during a special chamber session in the Dewan Rakyat.
He was responding to a query by Datuk Idris Ahmad (PN-Bagan Serai) regarding the government's plan to build PPKBs equipped with basic facilities and more systematic emergency aid storage spaces. The National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) is currently in the process of obtaining development allocations for the implementation of these facilities for the next phase nationwide, including in Perak.
Each PPKB is designed to include an open hall facility accommodating up to 500 victims, a dining hall block, a cooking area, a treatment room, toilets for persons with disabilities (PWD), a surau, and a special user-friendly space to prevent emotional stress among vulnerable groups. Site selection at this time is focused on localities often severely affected by floods, though proposals must first go through the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) before submission to NADMA for evaluation and approval.
As part of short-term preparations, NADMA approved RM4.44 million in April to upgrade facilities at 25 selected PPS locations under the Ministry of Education (MOE) premises. Maintenance and minor repair fund assistance of up to RM50,000 is also provided for PPS activated after the Northeast Monsoon (MTL) season to ensure preparedness for upcoming disasters.
"Disaster management should not be placed solely on NADMA's shoulders; instead, it is a shared responsibility that requires a 'whole-of-government and whole-of-society' approach involving the federal government, state governments, the private sector, and the community," Kumbong emphasized.