Patriot president Brigadier-General (Rtd) Mohd Arshad Raji said calling upon the Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi seeking aid from the armed forces was not necessary.
“We have a command of control, an SOP, and it is very clear, and applies to all the states. When there is an emergency the State Security Council (JKKN) should be automatically activated.
“Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng may not have been briefed or there was no military commander there to brief him and advise him,” Arshad said during a press conference here today.
Lim had reached out to the home minister early yesterday morning seeking military assistance for flood relief, and the latter had agreed to send aid.
Meanwhile, Arshad said there should be a local military commander representing JKKN to aid Lim in such situations.
“I have been a military commander, I know the process of flood relief.
“A military commander should be with the JKKN, the state secretary, and with the chief minister accompanying him wherever he goes and he says what he needs.
“Something went wrong in the Penang situation,” he said.
He said according to the National Security Council (NSC) Order 20, there is a directive on how military troops should be deployed in the event of any natural disaster.
Lim’s appeal to Zahid came at 3am yesterday, after Penang had recorded an equivalent of one-and-a-half’s month’s rainfall in less than 24 hours.
The DAP secretary-general said this was likely due to the effects of Typhoon Damrey which had wreaked havoc in Vietnam the day before.
He said Butterworth recorded 372mm of rain last night — the highest on record in the state. The previous highest recorded rainfall was 315mm at the Air Itam Dam not too long ago.
“I am made to understand that Penang is experiencing the effects of Typhoon Damrey, which has caused havoc in Vietnam and killed nearly 20 people there.
The flooding was also blamed on the high tide phenomenon, coupled with rubbish in drains that blocked smooth flow of water.
Meanwhile, the meteorological department has forecast more rain in the northern states.
It has issued an “orange” alert warning to indicate continuous rainfall with strong winds in Kedah, Perlis, and Penang.
The National Security Council is coordinating with police and military to assist flood victims.
About 2,800 people have been placed in flood relief centers. In Kedah, 2,000 have also been evacuated, while 100 were evacuated in Perak.