IPOH - Leave for the staff of the Public Works Department (JKR) and the Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS) in Perak has been frozen since last week in preparation for the North East Monsoon season which is expected to begin in November.
Perak Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said this was to enable the officers involved in the two departments to focus on areas at risk in the event of a disaster.
He said the order was in effect until the end of the year, pending the end of the monsoon season.
"None of their (JKR and JPS) staff have been granted leave (and for officers) involved in areas like rivers and hillsides, they have to be on alert,” he said in a press conference here today.
Mohammad Nizar said according to reports from JPS, there were 139 'hotspot' areas where floods could occur in the event of continuous heavy rain.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) previously expected four to six episodes of heavy rain to hit the country from November to February 2024, which could potentially result in flooding in areas at risk.
Meanwhile, on a separate matter, Mohamad Nizar said two buses would be made available for the Tapah-Bidor-Sungkai route on an interim basis from tomorrow to solve the problem of students not being able to attend school following the lack of bus services around Bidor for the past few months.
He said the Land Public Transport Agency had given bus company Perak Transit permission to start operations from tomorrow (Nov 1), involving 25 stops from the Tapah Bus Terminal to Sungkai Bus Terminal.
"This is the initial stage, if it goes well, we will head to the second stage...namely to three other locations - Manjung, Sungai Siput and Kamunting.
On Oct 22, Bernama reported that the lack of bus services around Bidor for the past few months had affected the attendance of students at schools. - BERNAMA