By Diana Abd Wahab
SHAH ALAM, Dec 29 — A total of 1,778 Selangor Police officers from various departments were involved in the nine-day search and rescue (SAR) operation for the victims of the landslide tragedy at Father’s Organic Farm in Batang Kali, recently.
Selangor Police chief Datuk Arjunaidi Mohamed said all of them were deployed to the scene of the incident to ensure that the nine-day operation went smoothly, Sinar Harian reported.
“The members do not only involve those in SAR assignments but also those in the investigation team and liaison officers who dealt with victims’ family members and so on,” he said.
Arjunaidi said the teams involved included the Air Force (PGU), the General Force (PGA) and the Federal Reserve Force (FRU).
The operation also involved the K9 dog detection unit, the Hulu Selangor District Police (IPD) and the Selangor Contingent Police.
The chief added that the police had already recorded statements from various parties including the site operators, workers, members of the rescue team and hospitals.
In addition, statements from police officers, victims’ families and survivors in the landslide tragedy were also taken for the purpose of investigation.
A total of 92 victims were involved with 61 of them surviving, while 31 perished, after a landslide buried the Father’s Organic Farm camping area in Gohtong Jaya on December 16.
The victims who were killed consisted of 18 adults and 13 children, including a one-year-old baby.
In addition to the police, the operation also involved rescuers from various key government agencies such as the Malaysian Armed Forces, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, the Malaysian Special Search and Rescue Team (Smart) and the Malaysian Civil Defense Force (APM).
