| Rokiah Mahmud |
THE Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) programme will be extended to 20 more mukims across the country by the end of 2019, in addition to the 35 villages in 17 mukims that are already undergoing basic training, Minister of Home Affairs Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong said.
He was responding to a question from Legislative Council (LegCo) member Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pendikar Alam Dato Paduka Seri Haji Hasrin bin Dato Paduka Haji Sabtu on the fourth day of the LegCo Meeting yesterday.
Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pendikar Alam Dato Paduka Seri Haji Hasrin inquired about current developments of the CBDRM programme and whether it would be carried out in educational and government institutions, as well as the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), volunteer groups and mukim and village consultative councils.
Two methods are currently employed in the implementation of the CBDRM porgramme, with the first involving the continuation of basic CBDRM training at the CAE Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre (MPTC).
The minister explained that the second method involves the application of CBDRM to all levels of society, particularly through mukim and village consultative councils, in areas that are prone to natural disasters such as flooding and landslides.
This year, the Natural Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) will collaborate with the CAE Brunei MPTC in reviewing the learning module for CBDRM, to ensure that it follows the best practices that conform to international standards.
Moreover, those who have undergone basic training will undergo intermediate CBDRM instructions in the trainers’ module, as part of the community’s preparenedness in facing disasters.
The CBDRM programme has also been extended to several government and private institutions, as well as schools, volunteer associations and non-governmental organisations in all four districts.
Through the School-Based Disaster Risk Management (SBDRM) which was conducted at the CAE Brunei MPTC until January this year, 244 students and teachers from 63 government and private education institutions across the country participated in the training.
This year, the NDMC will work together with the education sector in continuing the programme further at several higher learning institutions, in August and October.
The CBDRM programme will also be a permanent module for the National Service Programme (PKBN).
Apart from 143 mukim and village consultative councils in 34 villages, the programme has also been extended to 11 non-governmental agencies (NGOs), including Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Persatuan Pemuda Pemudi Melayu, the Brunei Council on Social Welfare (MKM) and the Youth Community Transformation Club.