A calling to service. Full time officers with the force in Perak (from left) Capt Suliana, Nor Faraain and Lt Nor Najihah. Photo by MANJIT KAUR/The Star
WOMEN are rapidly becoming the backbone of the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), and more are being encouraged to sign up.
Perak APM director Col Rohaizat Hadli said that by joining APM, women get a chance not only to enhance personal growth but also gain useful experience, knowledge and special skills.
These, he said, were an added advantage to any other prospective careers they might have in the future.
“With the extensive training and hands-on experience, these women are qualified to handle emergency situations.
“These transferable skills that they acquire can be passed on to their families, friends and the public.
“These women are superheroes with the strength to juggle their roles as career women, wives, mothers and home managers,” he said when met at his office in Bandar Meru Raya in Ipoh.
There are currently 39 full-time officers in Perak, three of whom are women, he said.
Col Rohaizat (second from right) inspecting the operations room at the force headquarters in Ipoh.
As for the 717 volunteer personnel in the state, 272 are women.
Col Rohaizat said that in the last few years, more women had shown a keen interest in joining the uniformed body.
He attributed the rise in the number of women in the force to greater visibility of the APM in the education system and increased awareness of the force’s role.
“The civil defence uniform body is available for membership from primary school right up to university level, and many had signed up to join from a young age.
“As the ratio of women in universities is higher compared to men, it is no surprise that many women have taken a strong interest in the APM.
“Without a doubt, women personnel and officers are the backbone of the organisation,” he told StarMetro.
Col Rohaizat said those who graduated from community colleges, as well as SPM school-leavers had also taken a greater interest in participating in the force.
He encouraged school-leavers, whether they scored straight As or otherwise in SPM, to join the force as volunteers.
People from all races are also encouraged to join, so that they are able to serve the local community with their operations skill sets during emergencies such as fires, floods, capturing snakes, removing bee hives, accidents, and providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
“The force provides training to non-governmental organisations, schools, colleges and universities as well,” he added.
There are currently about 2.24 million APM members nationwide but not all are active.
APM volunteers on duty receive an allowance ranging from RM8 per hour to RM9.80 per hour, depending on rank.
Volunteer Nor Faraain Ahmad Puzi, 31, based in the Kinta district, said she had been in the force for five years now.
The chemical engineering graduate said her interest in APM began in her university days.
“While at university, I enrolled in a different co-curricular activity but then I saw how much my friends who joined the civil defence uniform body were learning, and how they participated in lots of outdoor activities.
“My friends knew how to perform CPR, they knew what to do in case of a fire, accidents or even floods, and I found that extremely valuable and interesting.
“Upon graduating, when my friend told me about an opening to join as a volunteer, I did not hesitate at all,” she added.
Nor Faraain helping a child during a floods ops. - Courtesy pic
Nor Faraain, who married a fellow volunteer last year, said she was taught during training how to catch snakes.
“It was scary at first. But once I learnt the skill, I am now able to catch snakes and differentiate between poisonous and non-poisonous ones.
“My hands-on experience these past five years include helping flood victims to safety, assisting the needy to get to hospital in our ambulance, rescuing animals, catching snakes, providing first aid and other emergency services.
“Despite having a degree in engineering, I am very happy to be with the defence force and be able to serve the people,” she said, adding that she had no intention of working elsewhere.
Capt Suliana Mohamad, 43, has been in the service for 17 years now.
She was initially very interested in joining the army, but she didn’t make the cut due to the age limit at that time.
Not giving up, she joined the Territorial Army before eventually getting a full-time job in the APM as an officer.
She had been posted to several districts over the years.
Capt Suliana, who has been with APM for 17 years, assessing the situation in Kg Padang Serai, Pantai Remis, during the 2022 flood.
Currently she is based in Manjung where one of her duties is being in charge of the “baywatch” squad located at Teluk Batik beach in Lumut and Teluk Nipah beach in Pangkor Island.
“My most unforgettable experience was coordinating the volunteer teams for a whole month during the massive floods in 2014 in Kampung Gajah, while attached to the Perak Central district.
“It was not raining at all in Kampung Gajah, but rising water levels at the Perak River caused the riverbanks to overflow, affecting thousands of people in the district.
“We had to make sure that these people were brought to safety from their villages, and placed in temporary shelters.
“I still remember some 20 centres were operational at that time,” said the mother of one.
As for her team, Capt Suliana said that under her watch, the squad saved a teenager from drowning.
“We not only use boats, but other rescue equipment too, including surf boards, to bring victims back from the sea.
“The ‘baywatch’ tower is operational from 7am to 7pm daily,” she added.
Capt Suliana encouraged women to join the force as it would help them build their confidence while making them braver and more resilient.
She said the women in the force were all-rounders who carry out a whole range of multi-purpose tasks, from cutting trees, catching snakes and removing beehives, to providing emergency services.
“The work that men do, we women do as well.
“However, women must be prepared to cultivate physical and mental strength,” she advised.
Capt Suliana Mohamad (4th right) with her baywatch team members.
On how she manages her household and career, Capt Suliana said her husband and 15-year-old son fully understood the nature of her job.
She said there were times that she did not come back home for weeks, and required help from family and friends to look after her son when he was younger.
“My son is used to my work schedule.
“I took him along for training in the caves before, and he became enthusiastic about outdoor activities after that.
“He even joined the Fire and Rescue cadet team at school,” she added.
Another officer, Lt Nor Najihah Jamil Kair, 35, said she had been serving in APM for 16 years.
She joined at the age of 19, while in Form Six.
“During my school days at SMK Dr Burhanuddin in Taiping, I was part of the Civil Defence cadet uniform body. We used to represent the school in various competitions, and always came out among the top three.
“My father was a prison warden officer, so from a young age I was interested in joining a uniform body.
“After getting the necessary exposure from primary right up to secondary school, I grabbed the opportunity when it arose to join the force,” she said.
Lt Nor Najihah won a trophy at APM’s creative and innovative group competition last year.
Lt Nor Najihah said she had served in Taiping, Slim River and Tanjung Malim before her present base in Ipoh.
“The day I finished my STPM examination, I received a call asking me to go to a landslide site, where a lorry driver was pinned underneath.
“This happened sometime in 2007, on the North-South Highway near Bukit Berapit. The first to arrive at the scene was the Civil Defence Force.
“The operation went well and we were able to rescue the lorry driver.
“There was a deep sense of relief to get the person out alive,” she added.
However, not all incidents have a positive outcome, as in the case of an accident involving a bus and a lorry, where the lorry driver died.
“In such incidents, our primary focus is on the injured, giving them immediate medical aid before the ambulance arrives.
“I clearly remember I was collecting the remains of the deceased, including his fingers,’’ she said.
Even when she is off duty, Lt Nor Najihah never fails to stop to help if she comes across a road accident.
“I try to provide medical assistance first, because there is always a first-aid kit in my car.
“I also try to console the family members, and call for help immediately,” she said.
She is also part of APM’s creative and innovative group, where she participates in a lot of competitions.
“We brainstorm ideas and projects to ease work-related matters, including concerns about safety attire, mobile kitchen and safety cones,” said Lt Nor Najihah, who is married.
Besides that, she is also the trainer for uniformed bodies at two public universities in Perak.
“I have learned a lot being in the Civil Defence Force, from being a first responder to joining competitions and as part of the teaching staff.
“Those wanting to make a career in the force will benefit from the vast learning environment while gaining specialised skills,” she added.
