Jamilah Zainal, or Mila as she’s fondly known, has been a familiar face among disaster relief volunteers for many years. Driving around in her 4×4 pickup truck, she has assisted in planning, coordinating, picking up and delivering food from hotels to first responders at her own expense and contributing long hours in instances such as the Kim Kim River disaster in 2020.
“It started out when I became a truck owner and joined the Johor Truckers group. From there, I participated in any humanitarian effort that they were involved in, and over time it became something very personal to me,” said Mila.
She explained that being a truck owner allows her to provide specific services during volunteer or humanitarian efforts. Being in a close-knit community, she can rally the support of other truck owners to respond faster and be more efficient and effective in providing necessary aid.
“We work as a team. If St. John Ambulance is there for medical support, we can provide transport and bring any supplies as the trucks allow us to go into conditions where normal vehicles can’t. For example, during floods, we shuttle volunteers and supplies in the affected areas, and then move anyone affected by the flood out of the disaster location to a safe space,” added Mila.
Mila hopes that everyone is able to understand that anyone can provide help during times of need in any form, but it is the willingness to do so that is important.
