JPBP agrees to eight strategic measures to improve national disaster management

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the meeting basically emphasised the short-, medium- and long-term measures and plans that should be taken by the federal and state governments so as to ensure future flood disasters would not have a major impact on the country and the people.

He said the eight measures are Empowerment of Policies, Legislation and Mechanism Related to Disaster Management and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR); Emphasis on DRR Initiatives; Provision of Funds for Disaster Management and DRR; and Strengthening of Coordination Mechanisms and Stakeholder Competency for Disaster Management; Improvement of Information System and Delivery in Disaster Management and DRR; Empowerment of Policies and Aid Coordination Mechanisms for NGO and Volunteers; Skill Enhancement in Crisis and Strategic Communications; and Local Community Capacity Increase and Focus on Localisation in Disaster Management and DRR.

The meeting to discuss in detail the situation and early assessment of the Northeast Monsson 2021/2022 After Action Review, which was chaired by Ismail Sabri himself via teleconference, was also attended by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani and NADMA director-general Datuk Dr Aminuddin Hassim.

In a statement today, Ismail Sabri said the meeting also agreed that all ministries and agencies should allocate five per cent of their operating and development expenditures for disaster management, prevention and risk mitigation.

'The government is aware that climate change is also a factor for flood disaster in the country.

"In this context, the introduction of a subject on disaster management at school, college and university levels could also be done so as to enable the Malaysian Family to adapt to the new norms," he said.

The prime minister said the meeting also agreed to the emphasis given on the whole-of-society approach which needs to be translated into policies, operations and drills related to disaster with the involvement of various government agencies and civil society organisations.

At the same time, he said the capacity building of the local community would be enhanced through community leaders who acted as 'initial responders' with them being provided with basic equipment and assistance to carry out early action.

The meeting also agreed in principle to the proposal by the Environment and Water Ministry (KASA) to solve the flood problems, including identifying permanent relief centres (PPS) and equipping them with facilities such as toilets, bathrooms and storage areas.

Other proposals include upgrading, deepening and widening of major rivers; raising embankments and bunds along rivers and drains; building more flood mitigation infrastructure; as well as dams and barrages to control the rise in water level.

Apart from that, Ismail Sabri said the state governments and local authorities will be given the responsibility to ensure the good condition of the drainage, and the establishment of a National Numerical Weather Forecast Centre.

"This comprehensive solution requires a large allocation involving hundreds of billions of ringgit and will take a long time. So, the meeting agreed that the government should focus on high-risk areas and give priority to implementing plans to overcome flood problems," he said.

Apart from that, he said the meeting also agreed in principle to have a SMART tunnel built in cities with high population density such as Shah Alam; to develop resilient sponge cities like in China; to upgrade 100 dilapidated surface weather observation stations; and to control deforestation activities.

Ismail Sabri the recent massive floods had caused the country to suffer losses amounting to RM6.1 billion in damage to public assets and infrastructure, houses, vehicles, business premises and agriculture.

"What happened should be the starting point to formulate a new paradigm to face flood disasters in the future," he said, adding that the flood woes should be addressed in a comprehensive manner.