KAJANG: The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development has partnered with the Civil Defence Force to train approximately 1,000 Village Development and Security Committees across Malaysia in disaster preparedness ahead of the monsoon season.
Deputy Minister Datuk Rubiah Wang stated that this grassroots initiative equips local residents with basic rescue skills to take immediate action before official assistance arrives.
She emphasised the ministry’s commitment to strengthening volunteerism through continued collaboration with the Civil Defence Force.
Agencies under the ministry will provide support to enhance disaster response mobility, particularly in rural areas.
The announcement came during the 20th anniversary celebration of the Civil Defence Training Academy.
Since its establishment in 2005, the academy has trained 58,038 individuals in emergency response and security fields.
By the second quarter of this year, 5.7 million Malaysians had received civil defence training through various programmes.
These programmes include Civil Defence Volunteers, Civil Defence Cadets, and student safety awareness initiatives.
The ministry has set a target for 30% of Malaysia’s population to possess civil defence skills by 2045.
This goal aims to ensure every household has at least one trained first responder for emergency situations. – Bernama