Safety first: Firemen checking their gear in preparation for possible floods at the Sungai Bakap station. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
NIBONG TEBAL: Firemen are on standby to ferry voters by boat should it flood on polling day.
“We have a combined force of 25 personnel from the Sungai Bakap fire station together with personnel from the Nibong Tebal fire station,” said Sungai Bakap fire station chief Mohd Tarmizi Abdul Salam.
“These officers and personnel will be on 24-hour standby and ready to respond not only to flooding but also other emergencies such as fires and accidents,” he added.
Almost 40,000 residents of Sungai Bakap are set to exercise their right to vote on Saturday, but daily thunderstorms are forecast from as early as today.
Rain is expected as the Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional candidates go on their final lap to convince voters tomorrow night.
Mohd Tarmizi said even the Malaysia Civil Defence Force has been alerted and their personnel would also be deployed under the order of their respective district officers.
He said at the Sungai Bakap fire station, two boats would be on hand to help voters on top of performing flood rescue operations.
All Fire and Rescue Department personnel were trained to execute comprehensive contingency plans for potential emergencies on polling day, he said.
While the life and safety of all victims were the top priority, Mohd Tarmizi said safe transport to polling centres was also critical on polling day in any constituency.
“We have pre-planned measures to facilitate this, with standby teams ready to assist in voter mobilisation,” he said.
He said the coordinated approach of first responders reflected the commitment of all involved agencies to maintain public safety and ensure a smooth election process despite unforeseen challenges.
Mohd Tarmizi said the department prioritised the importance of caution and prompt communication during any disaster.
“We urge everyone to be careful and report any emergencies immediately. We will be there to assist as quickly as possible,” he said.
He said voters should remember to keep their important documents safe, especially their MyKad which should be carried at all times, to avoid losing them during emergencies.
In terms of security, police will be deployed at polling stations and the vote-counting centre.
Penang police chief Comm Datuk Hamzah Ahmad said the police will be on standby for potential incidents like riots.
“We are deploying federal reserve teams and light combat teams at strategic locations, installing surveillance cameras in high-risk areas, and increasing our patrols,” he said.
He added that the police will establish temporary protection areas at strategic locations to protect candidates and VIPs in case of any emergency on polling day.
