PORT DICKSON, Feb 15 — A total of 1,000 employees of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) are targeted to join the Civil Defence Emergency Response Team (CDERT) or be appointed as members of the Civil Defence Force (APM) by next year.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Dr Abd Latiff Ahmad said their participation would ensure an immediate response, especially involving food security in the event of an emergency or a disaster.
“This is the first time an agency has joined hands with the APM on a voluntary basis, as the minister leading the APM, I am very proud.
“When faced with food issues, the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) will cooperate with FAMA because of its expertise in controlling and managing food supply, that’s why we set up this team,” he told reporters after launching the FAMA CDERT here today.
Also present were Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee and FAMA director-general Datuk Zainal Abidin Yang Razalli.
Since its inception on Nov 29, 2021, almost 250 FAMA staff nationwide had joined the FAMA CDERT.
The FAMA CDERT was established to drive the disaster risk reduction response and prevention efforts to be truly effective with FAMA and the food and agriculture industry community being able to create an emergency protocol as well as provide information to the community.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency
