DPM: Need for effective DRR fuelled by climate change vagaries
ULAANBAATAR: The tremors in Sabah’s Ranau district in 2015 which claimed 18 lives, and the devastating monsoon floods a year earlier resulted in Malaysia’s comprehensive disaster risk reduction (DRR) initiatives, says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the need for effective DRR initiatives was further fuelled by Malaysia’s bane of having to face climate change vagaries.
“In recent years, our exposure to a range of climate-related disasters such as floods, flash floods, landslides and strong winds has increased, partly due to climate change.
“Weather extremes are occurring more frequently and with higher intensities,’’ she said at the Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) 2018 held here yesterday.
The conference is held once every two years for Asian and Asia-Pacific nations to congregate and discuss the various issues revolving
around the mitigation and management of natural disasters.
This year’s event, jointly organised by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the Mongolian Government, is the first gathering of the ministerial leaders after the launch of the Sendai Framework Monitor in 2015.
Dr Wan Azizah said Malaysia had incorporated DRR initiatives into its development agenda by allocating resources to reduce risk factors and promote sustainable development in the Five Year Malaysia Plan from 2016 to 2020.
“In the 11th Malaysia Plan, flood mitigation efforts will be further improved, taking into account the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, through the introduction of innovative solutions,’’ she said.
With the incorporation of science and technology in creating an effective mechanism, Malaysia has formed a Scientific and Technical Panel on DRR to provide scientific guidance on disaster risk management, said Dr Wan Azizah.
She said the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry has also promoted Malaysian Standards to address earthquake hazards and ensure safety of all future developments in the country.
“These are to ensure that buildings are resistant to earthquakes and supported by National Earthquake Hazard maps to facilitate risk-informed investment in the country.
“As of now, these standards have been applied to earthquake prone areas in Sabah,’’ she said, adding that there were several more DRR national initiatives spearheaded by the National Disaster Management Agency.
The DPM said hazards linked to climate change had the greatest impact in urban areas.
Due to this, she said a multi-hazard platform was being set up in Kuala Lumpur to better manage and communicate risks in order to strengthen disaster resilience in the city.
“In this initiative, meteorological parameters such as rainfall, temperature and wind speed, are 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,’’ she added.
Dr Wan Azizah, who was on her first overseas visit as DPM, held several meetings on the sidelines of the conference before departing early this morning.