NOVEMBER 28 — Tropical Storm Senyar weakened almost as soon as it touched Malaysian shores.It made landfall after midnight, then lost intensity quickly, prompting MetMalaysia to downgrade it into a low-pressure system.

This brought relief.

But relief must never lull us into complacency.

Malaysia escaped the worst of the cyclone. Yet we must accept a new reality: extreme weather is now unavoidable, and our preparedness must be constant.

For decades, Malaysians treated severe weather as seasonal inconvenience.

Senyar is a reminder that this mindset no longer works.

A storm that died quickly — but not quietly

Senyar weakened after crossing land because it lost access to warm sea energy.

Its convective core broke down.

But its rainbands still struck hard.

Hours before landfall, the east coast was already drenched.

Roads flooded.

Electricity flickered.

Landslides occurred.

Rivers swelled.

Evacuation centres were prepared in several districts.

Even as a weakened system, Senyar kept communities on edge.

This was not a disaster.

But it was a warning.

The monsoon has only just begun

The storm formed during the Northeast Monsoon.

From November to March, Malaysia faces cold surges, heavy moisture, and unstable atmospheric flows.

During this season, even a small low-pressure system can generate dangerous rain.

Senyar was one of the early signs of what lies ahead.

The peak months are still coming.

We must brace for more unpredictable weather.

Climate change has shifted Malaysia’s baseline

Malaysia once enjoyed predictable rainfall cycles.

Not anymore.

Warmer seas energise storms.

Atmospheric moisture has increased.

Wind shear patterns are changing.

These factors give tropical disturbances more fuel.

Senyar weakened rapidly — the next one may not.

Malaysia must adjust to a new climate reality.

Planning for the worst is no longer optional.

Preparedness Must Not Be Reactive

MetMalaysia has kept heavy rain warnings in place for the east coast.

Rivers in several areas remain high.

Fishermen have been advised to stay ashore.

Disaster agencies are still on standby.

But preparedness cannot remain a buzzword.

Malaysia needs stronger early-warning systems.

We need real-time flood forecasting.

We need faster coordination among federal, state, and district agencies.

Weather is now a national security issue.

We must treat it as such.

The public remains the weakest link

Despite repeated warnings, many Malaysians still take unnecessary risks.

Some try to cross rivers in heavy rain.

Some drive through flooded underpasses.

Some fishermen push out to sea too early.

One poor decision can turn a storm into a tragedy.

Malaysia needs stronger public communication tools: automatic SMS alerts, push notifications, real-time dashboards, and multilingual warnings.

Weather literacy saves lives.

Asean must strengthen regional cooperation

Senyar is not a Malaysian problem alone.

All of Asean faces more volatile monsoons and tropical storms.

Malaysia should push for deeper regional meteorological cooperation.

Shared satellite data, joint forecasting, and integrated disaster response will strengthen the entire region.

Climate threats do not respect borders.

Our solutions cannot remain confined within them.

Senyar Is gone — but Its message remains

The storm did not devastate Malaysia.

But the country cannot treat its downgrade as luck.

Storms can reform.

Floodwaters can rise suddenly.

Weather systems can escalate quickly.

The safest assumption is simple:

every storm can worsen without warning.

This is not fear.

It is realism.

Eternal vigilance Is now a National duty

Malaysia escaped the worst of Tropical Storm Senyar.

But climate volatility guarantees that more storms will come, often with little notice.

Extreme weather will intensify.

Rain patterns will grow more erratic.

Flood risks will rise.

Malaysia must adapt faster than the storms evolve.

Vigilance cannot be seasonal.

It must be permanent.

Senyar weakened.

Our preparedness must not.

• Phar Kim Beng is Professor of Asean Studies, Director Institute of International and Asean Studies at the International Islamic University of Malaysia. 

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.