SHAH ALAM: The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, through the National Archives, has mobilised its Records Disaster Recovery Team nationwide to help save records contained in documents submerged in the floods, says its secretary-general Datuk Dr Noor Zari Hamat.

       He said the focus would be on the states worst hit by the disaster, especially Selangor and Pahang.

       More than 10 million records in government departments and government-linked companies had been affected by the floods in various states but, he added, most of them could be salvaged.

       "This is done by conservation work through isolation, cleaning and drying depending on the records concerned, " he said here on Monday (Jan 3).

       Earlier, Dr Noor Zari visited the Records Management Centre of the Immigration Department at Section 23 here which was among the government premises affected in the recent flood.

       The National Archives had so far visited the offices of more than 50 government departments and GLCs affected by the floods.

       "We will continue with this effort and any party in need of the service can contact the National Archives.

       "We not only help save documents (but also education) government agencies on the steps they should take in a situation like this,” he said.

       Among the records submerged in the floods were service record books, patient records, financial and accounting documents such as payment vouchers and receipts, as well as passport applications.

       Meanwhile, Immigration deputy director-general (Management) Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the department would take two to three weeks to salvage the records and documents at its Records Management Centre.

       "Most of the department’s data and information is stored online, and the (physical) documents at the centre are those that need to be kept for when the need arises, including for legal purposes,” he added. – Bernama