It’s still a mess and looks like the entire government machinery hasn’t stepped up, despite the devastating floods last December.
While Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, should be commended for chairing a meeting with the Federal Disaster Management Task Force (JPBP) to assess the level of coordination and preparedness of disaster management in the country, there are many glaring issues.
It’s mind-boggling that the discussions appear to have left out Selangor and instead focused on the Eastern states of the Peninsular and East Malaysia.
MET Malaysia has identified 62 areas in the Klang district alone as flood hotspots due to the combination of the Northeast monsoon and high tides.
The meteorological department also predicts an average of 100mm to 400mm of rainfall in Klang in the next months.
Klang will clearly face massive floods in the coming months.
Therefore discussions around disaster management should focus on the entire country, and a few more strategies must be put in place.
A test run must be done to ensure that the early warning sirens are heard by all houses in the surrounding vicinity, especially during thunderstorms.
This is crucial given that residents in Seri Muda, Selangor, were clueless about the sirens last December.
Local authorities must also conduct a flood drill to ensure that residents know the SOP for emergency evacuation. They must be informed of their nearest evacuation centres and emergency hotlines well ahead of time. The most vulnerable households like those with aged or differently-abled people should also be identified ahead of time so that rescuers know which homes to target first.
The National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) needs to step up its disaster response and relief. Currently, the duties of relevant agencies are not explicitly outlined, and this creates room for mismanagement and poor coordination.
The agency should be restructured, and it should consider mobilising the army, navy and defence forces as part of disaster management as they have access to boats, equipment and vehicles that can be mobilised on short notice.
The government should also set up a flood insurance scheme for a more holistic approach to disaster mitigation, with those in high-risk areas as well as B40 households paying a low premium for the protection of their homes and assets.
It’s clear that Ismail Sabri is trying, but much more comprehensive strategies must be incorporated to ensure we are adequately prepared for any flood mitigation.
And therefore, I hope that the Prime Minister will also incorporate our suggestions and recommendations to substantially reduce disaster risks and losses to lives and livelihoods.