ULAANBAATAR, July 4 — Malaysia has taken several initiatives to mainstream disaster risk reduction (DRR) into its development agenda to safeguard future investment in the country, a conference on DRR was told here today.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail at the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (ACMDRR) here said the impact of climate change was increasingly felt worldwide and Malaysia was no exception.
Sharing Malaysia’s experience when delivering her Ministerial Statement at the ACMDRR, Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Chairman of the Central Committee on Disaster Management said, in recent years, Malaysia’s exposure to a range of climate-related disasters such as floods, flash floods, landslides and strong winds had increased, partly due to climate change.
“Substantial resources have been provided to reduce underlying risk factors and promote sustainable development in the nation’s primary development plan — the ‘Five Year Malaysia Plan’,” said Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister.
In the 11th Malaysia Plan, covering the period of 2016 to 2020, flood mitigation efforts would be further improved, taking into account the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, through the introduction of innovative solutions, she said.
Dr Wan Azizah also told the ACMDRR that Malaysia had established a Scientific and Technical Panel on DRR to provide scientific guidance on disaster risk management for policy consideration, and to provide timely evidence-based input to support the operational activities of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.
“Disaster risk reduction will succeed with the effective deployment of science and technology to support the decision making process,” she said.
She said Malaysia too had developed the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan for DRR to comprehensively and systematically address knowledge gaps on current and emerging hazards in the country, including taking an integrated approach to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, to ensure sustainable development.
“Implementation of the Plan, which is now awaiting endorsement by the government, requires the commitment of multiple stakeholders,” she said.
Dr Wan Azizah also stressed that addressing the challenge of earthquake hazards was of primary importance in Malaysia.
She said the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) promoted Malaysian Standards (MS), which are intended for all future developments in Malaysia to ensure that buildings are resistant to earthquakes and supported by National Earthquake Hazards Maps to facilitate risk-informed investment in the country.
As of now, she said these standards had been applied to earthquake prone areas in Sabah.
Dr Wan Azizah said there were several ongoing national initiatives in Malaysia to advance disaster risk reduction at the local level, with National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma Malaysia) was spearheading the effort to develop a national legal framework for disaster risk reduction which would serve as the umbrella for state governments and local authorities in the country.
She also disclosed at the ACMDRR that the establishment of a multi— hazard platform was underway in Kuala Lumpur to better manage and communicate risks in enhancing disaster resilience in the city.
In the initiative, she said meteorological parametres such as rainfall, temperature and wind speed were downscaled to the city level for the first time ever in the region, to be used to assess the risk of flash floods, landslides, subsidence, strong winds, air pollution and urban heat.
This pilot project would result in the first ever city level multi-hazard forecasting system for the tropics, she said.
“It will also provide the impetus for social innovation by facilitating the development of community level disaster resilience plans, to empower special groups, including women and youth, to participate in disaster risk reduction.
“In addition it will give attention to disaster relief planning for the welfare and needs of disabled persons, children, the elderly and women,” she said.
ACMDRR is a platform to discuss regional mechanism in tackling issues concerning reducing disaster risks in the Asia Pacific region. Over 3,000 representatives from Asia Pacific countries are participating in the three-day conference which began yesterday (July 3, Tuesday) in the Mongolia’s capital. — Bernama
