PUCHONG, June 2 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim is confident that the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team Malaysia (Smart) will receive recognition from the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (Insarag) External Classification (IEC). 

He said Smart was now being evaluated by a team of eight classifiers from countries recognised by Insarag in a 36-hour test at two different locations, namely Smart Headquarters in Pulau Meranti, Puchong and Putrajaya Wetlands Park, over two days, since yesterday. 

“We expect the best (from them) and I am sure with all the experiences that the Smart team (has) in various disaster relief operations overseas, our team will pass the test,” he told reporters after visiting the Smart team training at its headquarters in Pulau Meranti, here today.   

Shahidan said that if the team passed the test, Smart would be the second team in Asia after Singapore and ranked eighth in the Asia-Pacific region to be recognised by Insarag as Urban Search and Rescue Team (Usar) internationally. 

He said that while undergoing the IEC test process, the Smart team had updated several requirements, including its membership, documentation and equipment. 

He also said the Smart team had undergone training with the Malaysian Armed Forces medical team, Universiti Putra Malaysia veterinarians and the Fire and Rescue Department K9 Unit as part of its preparations for the test.  

Meanwhile, National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) deputy director-general (Operations Implementation Sector), Zainal Azman Abu Seman said there are 128 aspects being examined by Insarag in order to receive the recognition.

“Based on feedback I received from the classifiers so far, we have passed 85 per cent and if we pass, the Malaysian team will gain confidence from governments of other countries to lead a search and rescue operations during major disasters,” he said.  

The Smart team has registered for the IEC test in 2012, received approval from Insarag Field Coordination Support Section in 2013 and finally passed its application for the test in September 2015.  

Besides Singapore, the Asia-Pacific countries which had been granted recognition are Saudi Arabia, Australia, China, Japan, Korea and New Zealand. — Bernama