Coming soon: Real-time app showing which PPS is still available for flood evacuees, says DPM Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Malaysians forced to abandon their disaster-hit home will soon have an easier time finding a temporary relief centre (PPS) to shelter at, instead of hunting down the ones with spaces available one by one.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government will soon be adopting technology to help evacuees locate PPS in real-time.

“There are companies that offer these systems, and Insha Allah, we will use it,” he said during the winding-up of the Rural and Regional Ministry Budget 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Zahid, who is also National Disaster Management Committee chairman, was responding to Paya Besar MP Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah, who suggested the government develop a real-time app to provide updates on PPS locations, capacity, and availability.

“In my constituency, there’s frequent flooding. When people try to move to a PPS at night, they often find it’s already full, then they try going to another PPS, but it’s also full.

“If they could access this app, they’d be able to see, ‘Oh, this hall is full; where is a hall with available space?’” the backbenchers club chairman said.

Shahar also noted that staying at the PPS can sometimes be necessary for evacuees to qualify for government assistance.

“If we could use available technology, I believe it wouldn’t cost much, and we have universities that could collaborate with your ministry,” he added.