KOTA KINABALU, Feb 7 — Sabah needs a more advanced weather forecasting system to disseminate accurate information in an effort to reduce the impact of floods, especially in flood-prone areas.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said that such a system would be able to provide highly accurate weather forecasts and allow for immediate measures to be taken to mitigate floods in those areas.

"If we have a more advanced and efficient weather forecasting system, we can make early preparation and this will certainly reduce the impact of the floods and enable aid to be sent to the victims faster.

"We will propose this to the federal government to get the necessary allocation as Sabah is also facing the risk of floods almost every year,” he said in a statement today.

Bung, who is also the Sabah Works Minister, said the recent massive floods experienced by several states including Sabah has resulted in huge losses and should serve as a lesson to take immediate proactive steps to prevent a similar event from recurring.

He added that the disaster operations centres in all districts in Sabah must also be equipped with rescue equipment and must always be in good condition to ensure flood rescue and relief operations can run smoothly. — Borneo Post Online