TAWAU, March 25 — The Tawau District Disaster Management Committee (JPBD) today declared a state of drought affecting Pulau Sebatik.

Tawau Municipal Council president Datuk Joseph Pang, who also chairs the committee, said the declaration covers the island area within the district.

“It is hereby declared at 10 am today that a drought disaster has occurred in Pulau Sebatik, Tawau,” he said in a statement.

He added that the decision was made after assessing the current situation based on reports and field data from relevant agencies within the committee, which indicated that the area is experiencing prolonged dry conditions.

Pulau Sebatik is an island shared between two countries, with its northern part located in Malaysia and its southern portion in Indonesia. — Bernama