Malaysia
Country Report
1999

Crisis And Disaster Management Unit
Division For National Security
Prime Minister’s Department
Putrajaya
MALAYSIA

Contents
Ⅰ．INTRODUCTION
1.
2.
3.
Ⅱ．MECHANISMS OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND RELIEF
1. The National Security Division
2. Disaster Management And Relief Committee
3. Landslides
4. Landslide Reduction Measures
5. Public Education And Awareness On Disaster Reduction
6. Forest Fire And Severe Haze
7. International Cooperation
8. Agreement Between The Government Of Malaysia And the Government Of The French Republic On Co-Operation
For Disaster Prevention And Management And Public Safety
9. “DISTRESS 1/97”-Joint SMART And DART Rescue Exercise
10. Cooperation Between Malaysia And Brunei On Forest Fire Fighting
Ⅲ．FUTURE REQUIREMENTS FOR DISASTER REDUCTION
1. Risk and Vulnerability Analysis
2. Non-Structural Mitigation Measures
3. Structural Mitigation Measures
4.
Ⅳ．CONCLUSION
1.
2.
3.

Ⅰ．INTRODUCTION
1.
Although Malaysia is geographically outside the “Pacific Rim of Fire” and is relatively free from any severe
ravages and destruction caused by natural disasters such as earthquake, typhoons and volcanic eruptions,nevertheless the country is subjected to monsoonal floods, landslides and severe haze episodes. The country also
from time to time experiences some man-made disasters which causes considerable damages to property and lossof lives. To mention a few, Malaysia had experienced disasters (natural and man-made) during the last five years
as follows:i. Fire and explosions at Bright Sparklers factory in Sungai Buloh in 1991 which claimed 22 lives.
ii.
Fire and explosions at South Port Klang in 1992 which claimed 10 lives.
iii.
Collapse of Highland Towers Condominium at Hulu Kelang in 1993 which claimed 48 lives.
iv.
Landslide at Genting Highlands in 1995 which claimed 20 lives.
v.
Mudslide at the Aborigines village at Pos Dipang, Perak on 29 August 1996 which claimed 44 lives andthe damage of 30 houses.
vi.
Tropical Storm ‘Greg’ which struck Keningau, Sabah in December 1996 which claimed 238 lives.
vii.
Severe haze episodes in July - November 1997 caused by forest fires which had adverse health effects on
the people and on the economy of the nation.
viii.
Landslide at Sandakan, Sabah on 7 February, 1999 due to heavy downpour which claimed 17 lives anddamaged 4 houses.

2.
Experience from the above mentioned disasters indicated that there is a need to address disaster mitigation
problems efficiently and effectively to alleviate the suffering of the people and reduce the loss of lives and damage
to properties.

3.
This paper outlines the disaster management and relief mechanisms and summarises some of theaccomplishments, current activities and future requirements for Disaster Reduction in Malaysia.

Ⅱ．MECHANISMS OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND RELIEF
1. The National Security Division
The National Security Division (NSD) in the Prime Minister’s Department is responsible for coordination of allactivities related to disaster. The National Security Council (NSC) Directive No. 20 was issued to provide
guidelines on the management of disasters including the responsibilities and functions of the various agencies
under an integrated emergency management system.

2. Disaster Management And Relief Committee
To carry out the responsibilities of the NSC of coordinating all the activities related to disaster, i.e. the various
aspect of preparation, prevention, response, recovery and rehabilitation, The Disaster Management and Relief
Committee was established at three different levels, i.e. at the Federal, State and District levels, whereby the
NSD is the Secretariat. The main functions of the Disaster Management and Relief Committee (DMRC) are as
follows:
i. At Federal level, DMRC is responsible in the formulation of national polices and strategies regarding thealertness and the preparation of various agencies involved in the handling of disasters. The DMRCs at the Stateand District levels are required to implement and carry out such policies and strategies.
ii.
To ensure sound coordination among the agencies involved in the handling of disasters and determine
the roles of the principal emergency services (Police, Medical and Fire Department) and other supporting services.
ⅲ.
To activate the Disaster Operation Control Centre at District, State or Federal Level whenever required.
iv.
To coordinate and mobilise whatever resources and logistics available from Government agencies and if
necessary also from the private sector.
v.
To coordinate assistance and rehabilitation to disaster victims.
vi.
To carry out “post mortem” and report upon completion of the disaster operations for the purpose of recording andperformance evaluation for future reference and planning.

Composition Of Disaster Management And Relief Committee
The members of the Disaster Management and Relief Committee are as follows:a) Federal Level
Chairman : Minister of Information.
Members : Minister of National Unity and Community Development.
Minister of Finance.
Chief Secretary to the Government.
Chief of Armed Forces.
Inspector General of Police.
Director General of Health.
Director General of National Security Division.
Director General of Fire and Rescue Department.
Director General of Atomic and Energy Licensing Board.
Director General of Road and Transport Department.
Director General of Public Work and Utilities Department.
Director General of Department of Environment.
Director General of Meteorological Department.
Director General of Drainage and Irrigation Department.
Representatives from Ministry of Finance and Attorney General Office.
Director General of Department of Occupational Safety and Health.
Secretary : Director
Crisis and Disaster Management Unit
National Security Division
Prime Minister’s Department.
b) State Level
Chairman : State Secretary.
Members : State Chief Police Officer
Brigade Commander of Armed Forces
State Director of Fire and Rescue
Department
State Director of Health
Other Directors of various relevant
government agencies / departments at State Level.
Secretary : Director of State NSD.
c) District Level
Chairman : District Officer
Members : Officer in charge of Police District (OCPD)
District Fire Officer
Medical and Health Officer
Representatives from various relevant
departments and agencies at District Level
Secretary : Assistant Director for District NSD.

On-Scene Control Post (OSCP)An On-Scene Control Post (OSCP) will be opened immediately as soon as disaster has occurred. The On-Scene
Commander will be either the OCPD, CPO, or the Director, Internal Security and Public Order Royal Malaysia
Police, depending on the level of disaster. The main functions of the On-Scene Commander are as follows:i. To make an early assessment at the scene of potential or actual disaster and immediately activate OSCP if
deemed necessary.
ii.
To identify the equipment and logistic requirement in handling the disaster.
iii.
To coordinate the functions of various agencies involved in search and rescue operation.
iv.
To report and advise the Disaster Management and Relief Committee at their respective level.

Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance And Rescue Team (SMART)SMART was established in 1995 as directed by the NSC Directive No.19. SMART is directly responsible to the
Director, Crisis and Disaster Management Unit, NSD. SMART comprises of 85 officers and personnel from theFire and Rescue Department, Royal Malaysia Police and The Armed Forces. The Team is equipped withspecialized skills and equipment’s to respond to any search and rescue operation in any major disaster on land
which is beyond the capabilities of the existing principal emergency services Search and Rescue (SAR) teams. The
team members were trained in SAR training institutions abroad such as the USA, Sweden, Australia andSingapore. The decision on the mobilization and the deployment of the SMART team is made by the Director,
General of the NSD or the Director, Crisis and Disaster Management Unit.

The Role Of The Malaysian Meteorological Service In Disaster Management

The Malaysian Meteorological Service (MMS) is the agency responsible to provide information and warning
occurrences adverse weather phenomena to the general public through the mass media or to other government
agencies directly involved in disaster mitigation. A Central Forecasting Office has been established in the
Meteorological. Headquarters to monitor closely the weather and sea conditions over the Malaysian region. Special
emphasis was given to the following:a) Heavy Rainfall
Prolonged widespread heavy rainfall are often experienced in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah andSarawak during the Northeast Monsoon season from November to January causing floods in low lying area. The
MMS monitors the weather and issues advisories and warnings regarding impending occurrence of heavy rainspells to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, the National Security Council as well as the State Operations
Rooms.
b) Strong Wind and Heavy Rainfall Associated With Tropical Storms
Although Malaysia is not directly affected by the destructive forces of typhoons, however the northern part of thecountry especially Sabah experience the strong wind associated with tail effect of typhoons and tropical storms in
the West Pacific Ocean and South China Sea areas. On very rare occasions, the northern part of the country is
directly hit by tropical storms. Tropical storm ‘Greg’ which hit Sabah on Christmas eve of 1996 brought heavy rain
and strong wind which claimed 238 lives. Hence, the MMS monitors the formation of tropical storms in the
Malaysian region very closely to ensure that adequate warning can be given to potential victims so as to reduce
the adverse impact of these devastating storms.
c) Strong Wind And High Waves
The MMS also continuously monitors the sea conditions and issues warnings of strong wind and high waves over
Malaysian territorial waters to vessels and oil rigs operating in the area.
d) Intense Haze Episodes
The MMS works very closely with ASEAN specialized Meteorological Centre in Singapore to monitor and issue
long range forecast for the ASEAN region, with special emphasis on the drought condition affecting the region by
the El Nino phenomena. MMS also monitors the occurrences of local and cross-boundary haze in the country andprovides meteorological information, including satellite pictures depicting locations of forest fifes, to the various
government agencies involve in the prevention, monitoring and remedial measures to combat haze caused by open
burning, forest fires and other sources of smoke.
e) Drought
The 1997/98 El Nino had caused very significant reduction in rainfall from January to April in Sabah, northern
Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia. Besides monitoring the drought conditions, the MMS also conducts cloudseeding as an attempt to induce rains and to increase the water levels in dams in the affected area.

Roles And Functions Of The Drainage And Irrigation Department Of Malaysia (DID)a) Flood
Flood is the most severe natural disaster in Malaysia from the perspective of area extent, population affected andeconomic impact. The National Water Resources Study (1982) estimated that some 29,000 sq. Km (9% of the total
land area) were flood prone and more than 2.7 million people (18%) were affected. The average flood damage wasestimated at RMl00 million at 1995 price.
b) Flood Control Measures
After the disastrous flood of 1971 which affected many areas in Malaysia, various strategies and measures havebeen implemented by the Government to mitigate flood impacts. Such strategies include:i. Establishment of the Permanent Flood Control Commission in December 1971 to implement flood control
measures in order to reduce flood occurrence and to minimise flood damages in the events of flood.
ii.
Establishment of the Natural Disaster Relief Committee in 1972 with the task to coordinate flood relief
operations at federal, state and district levels. (The Committee was replaced by the National Disaster
Management and Relief Committee in 1997).
iii.
Implementation of structural flood mitigation measures.
iv.
Provision of flood forecasting and warning services to river basins experiencing frequent floods.
Since 1971, the Drainage and Irrigation Department of Malaysia (DID) has been designated with task toimplement structural flood mitigation works. Flood mitigation plans have been developed for 17 major river basins
and 27 towns. Based on these plans, various structural and non-structural measures have been proposed andpartially implemented. Such measures include improving river channel sections, building of flood bunds, levees,
ring bunds, by-pass flood ways, use of mining pools for flood attenuation and construction of flood retention dams
to regulate flood flows and minimise flood occurrence.

c) Flood Forecasting And Warning Services (FFW)

Telemetry System
DID is directly involved in the collection and analysis of real-time river water level and rainfall data for flood
forecasting and warning operation during the flood season. To date, a total of 72 rainfall and 89 water leveltelemetric stations have been installed by the DID in river basins for FFW purpose. The telemetry data aretransmitted through VHF Radio, telephone or satellite. Similar systems are being implemented for another 10
river basins under the Seventh Malaysia Plan (1966-2000). Presently real time flood forecast are issued for 7 river
basins by the DID state offices during the flood season. The forecast river levels have greatly enhanced relief
operations and evacuation during flood period.
ii.
Manual Flood Level Monitoringi.

In addition to the telemetric stations, a total of 137 manual flood level monitoring stations have been set up at
strategic locations in the country to monitor the river level on a real-time basis during the flood period. Whenevera river level exceeds a predetermined critical level, the local observer shall transmit continuously real-time waterlevel information to the DID state office via telephone or VHF radio equipment. These information are furthertransmitted to the flood operation rooms at the district, state or federal level for flood relief operation.
iii
Flood Warning Sirens
In river basins, which are subject to flash flood, little lead time is available for effective warning. Therefore, a totalof 60 flood warning sirens, which automatically trigger once the flood level reaches a critical point, have been
installed at strategic locations along such rivers. These warning sirens are especially useful when flash floods
occur at night.
iv.
Flood Warning Boards
A total of 60 flood warning boards have been installed in flood prone areas in the major river basins. Levels
marked on these warning boards are correlated to the levels at the observation points upstream. The residents ofthe villages are able to assess for themselves the impending flood situation in their areas based on real-time
upstream river and the forecast levels shown at the warning boards.

d) Drought

Hydrology and irrigation are two the main functions of DID. During a drought situation, a task force will be set upby the DID to monitor and evaluate the drought situation at padi growing areas in the country.
Based on analysis of rainfall, river levels and discharge data, various measures have been implemented to reducethe impact of water deficit on padi production.

Role And Functions Of The Social Welfare Department In Disaster Management
Under the NSC Directive No. 20 on Policy and Mechanism of Disaster Management and Relie1~ the Social
Welfare Department has four main functions. These functions, which are related to Relief and Rehabilitation
activities, are as follows:i. The provision and management of relief/evacuation centres and forward-supply base.
In Malaysia, there are a total of 3,417 designated relief) evacuation centres, which can accommodate 943,000
evacuees, and a total of 348 forward-supply bases.
ii.
The provision and distribution of relief assistance, which includes food, clothing and other essential
items to the affected victims.
iii.
The registration of disaster victims for purposes of rehabilitation.
iv.
To provision of “post-trauma” counselling services to the affected victims.
v.
In practice, the Social Welfare Department, being a member of the National Disaster Management andRelief Committee, will play its role before, during and after the occurrence of disasters.
vi.
The Preparedness Stage●To identify the locations of Relief/Evacuation Centres and Forward Supply Bases especiallyin the flood prone areas.
●
To update the list of names of officials, who need to be contacted and mobilised in the eventof any disaster (their addresses and telephone numbers).
●To identify the names of Suppliers/Agencies who will supply relief assistance, namely food stuffs (dry and wet
rations) and other necessities.
●
To set up the corp of Volunteers/Task Force, comprising members of the Premier Welfare
Brigade and other voluntary organization.
●To update the Operation Rooms.
●
To prepare duty lists for the officials and volunteers.
●
To provide training courses for the officials and volunteers in disaster management work.
●To send dry rations to forward-supply bases, prior to the event of a disaster.
vi.
Response Stage●To register the affected victims/evacuees.
●
To manage the relief/evacuation centres and forward-supply bases.
●To distribute food supplies and other necessities.
●
To mobilize the volunteers/task force to help in registration and food distribution works.
●
To organize suitable activities for the evacuees in the relief/ evacuation centres.
●
To provide “post-trauma” counselling services to victims suffering from stress, depressions,etc.
vii. Recover / Restoration Stage●To evaluate the damage involved, including the damage o houses, crops and livestock.
●
To propose and draw up appropriate rehabilitation programmes/plan.
●-To provide “short-term” and “long-term” relief/aid from the existing financial aid schemes.

Relief Assistance Schemes
Relief assistance schemes include the following:i. Short-Term Schemes●To provide food and temporary shelter.
●To give compensation to victims, either to repair or rebuild their houses.

ii.
●
●
●

Long-Term Schemes-To provide monthly financial assistance.
-To give launching grants.
-To give compensation for the loss of crops and livestock

3. Landslides
Besides flooding, Malaysia is occasionally subjected to landslides. Just as flooding, landslides inflict a heavy toll on
human life and property. Described as an abrupt and short-lived geomorphic erosion process, landslides can be
attributed to the internal properties of earth materials, the geomorphic setting, and independent external factorsthat influence the stability of slopes. In addition, excessive precipitation and human activities have contributed toslope instability and set the stage for landsliding.
Of late, Malaysia had experienced two major landslides. Farming activities involving indiscriminate clearing ofland, coupled with continuous downpours, were partly blamed for landslides in Cameron Highlands over four days
from 4th-7th December 1994 resulting in the death of 7 people. Another landslide on 30th June 1995, took placeabout 39 km from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. The site of the tragic incident was a slip road leading to the
Genting Highlands resorts. Part of the hill came crashing down as flood waters washed tons of earth and fallentrees down the hilly slope. About a dozen or so vehicles including cars, buses and vans which were on their way to
Genting Highlands, were swept down. 21 people loss their lives, while 22 other were injured. The exact cause of
the landslide has not been fully determined yet.

4. Landslide Reduction Measures
In spite of the growing geologic understanding of the landslide processes and a rapidly improving engineering
capability for landslide control, losses and casualties caused by landslides are on the increase. This is partly aconsequence of residential and commercial development activities that are carried out on steep sloping terrainthat is prone to landslip. In order to control and reduce the impact of landslides, the Government has undertaken
legislative and non-legislative measures such as:●identification and mapping of landslides prone areas;●adaptation of landuse regulation in landslip-prone areas;● development of design and building codes that will ensure the construction practices appropriate to themaintenance or enhancement of slope stability;●amendments to Land Conservation Act 1960 to enable the government to have a comprehensive monitoring ofdevelopment activities on hillslopes; and●amendments to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Rules 1987. This is to enable the government to have acloser monitoring and enforcement over development projects on hilly areas for the construction of roads,
buildings and recreational facilities.

5. Public Education And Awareness On Disaster Reduction
In order to enhance disaster preparedness, the Malaysian Government has continuously carried out public
education on disaster prevention to the people living in flood prone areas with the ultimate objective of protectingof human lives and property, as well as avoiding or minimising social disruption and economic losses. Public
education and awareness programmes are carried out through the various media including TV and radio
broadcast, aimed at enhancing public awareness of the dangers of natural disasters. Civic education and practicaltraining in life saving techniques are also conducted in the natural disaster prone areas. In addition,
presentations on life-saving during floods have been made and pamphlets on disaster prevention targeted atchildren in flood prone areas during the monsoon season were also circulated.
Agencies such the Malaysian Red Crescent Society and Civil Defence Department have also played their part ineducating the public especially children on how to protect themselves against floods. Therefore, public education
and awareness on disaster reduction in Malaysia is aimed at creating a higher level of community awarenessincluding the ability of putting into place appropriate emergency measures, so that they could withstand theimpact of natural disasters and prepare for and survive disasters.

6. Forest Fire And Severe Haze
The northern region of Sarawak and the western part of Sabah in Malaysia have been experiencing severe
drought since late December 1997 that has been brought about by the El Nino phenomenon. The drought hasbrought about incidences of bush fires, mainly within the vicinity of Miri, Lawas, Limbang and Marudi inSarawak and Sipitang in Sabah. In Miri, bush fire occurred in the dry peat areas during the first week ofFebruary 1998. The fires spread over a total area of more than 3,000 hectares. In Lawas, bush fire occurred inpeat areas covering a total area of 1,000 hectares. A few incidences of bush fifes covering approximately 70
hectares were also detected during March -April period in the State of Pahang in Peninsular Malaysia. The smoke

from these peat and forest fires had resulted in severe haze episodes, especially in northern Sarawak, western
Sabah, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and to some event, southern Thailand.

Actions To Combat Forest Fire And Haze
To combat the forest fire and haze problem, the Malaysia Government implemented the following measures:●Activate the National Haze Action Plan.
●
Activate an operation center to coordinate the activities to combat haze and forest fires.
●
Mobilize fire-fighting personnel from the Fire Services and Rescue Department to fight fires on ground,equipped with specialized fife-fighting equipment.
●Mobilize the Army, Police and Local Authorities personnel to assist the Fire Services and Rescue Department in
the fire fighting.
●
Undertake aenal water bombing of area of forest fire.
●· Institute legal action against offenders of open burning in plantations.
●
Carry out air surveillance to detect bush fires.

7. International Cooperation
Memorandum Of Understanding Between Malaysia and Indonesia
Malaysia and Indonesia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Disaster Cooperation and Assistanceon 11 December 1997 allowing the two countries to work together to manage and handle any forms of disaster that
may occur. The MoU on Disaster Cooperation and Assistance was signed by H.E. Datuk Seri Mohamed bin
Rahmat, who is the National Disaster Management and Relief Committee Chairman as well as the Minister ofInformation, on behalf of the Malaysian Government and H.E. Dato’ Seri Utama ft. Azwar Anas, Coordinating
Minister for People’s Welfare and also Chairman of the Indonesia National Disaster Management Coordinating
Board (BAKORNAS-PB) on behalf of the Indonesian Government.
The initial objective of the MoU was for Malaysia and Indonesia to jointly tackle the haze problem, but the twocountries had decided to include other areas of disaster management and assistance.
Under the MoU, both countries had agreed to the followings:
i. Exchange of expertise and information on the latest technology related to disaster prevention, risk reduction,
response, mitigation, recovery and rehabilitation including teledetection. This also includes technology on
detection by satellites, data interpretation and rescue operations in collapsed buildings or structures.
ⅱ.
Training of officers and personnel in disaster management, the concept of aeromobility emergency
services (including the use of heliborne technique) and search and rescue techniques both on land and sea.
iii.
Sharing of experience through seminars, conferences and publications on disaster management.
iv.
Collaboration on public health studies related to the effects of particular disasters.

8. Agreement Between The Government Of Malaysia And the Government Of The
French Republic On Co-Operation For Disaster Prevention And Management And
Public Safety

25,

The agreement was signed on May
1998 in Paris, France by H.E. Datuk Seri Mohamed bin Rahmat,
Chairman of National Disaster Management and Relief Committee on behalf of Malaysia and H.E. Mr. JeanPierre Chevenement, Minister of Interior, France on behalf of the French Government.
sharing their public health experiences, especially with regard to chemical, industrial and environmental hazards;
exchanging information on each country’s laws and regulations pertaining to environment pollution and hazards;
exchanging technology and scientific information relating to natural, man-made and technological disasters or
major incidents through electronic media, forum and publications; andparticipation of specialists of one party in the relevant national technical training programmes of the other party.

9. “DISTRESS 1/97”-Joint SMART And DART Rescue Exercise
The first joint rescue exercise involving two elite rescue teams, the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance andRescue Team (SMART) and Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) of Singapore Civil Defence Force(SCDF), was held in Genting Highlands, Malaysia on 25 - 26 November 1997. The joint exercise codename“DISTRESS 1/97” was based on the scenario of a collapse of an apartment at the hillslope of Genting Highlands
due to a landslide, resulting in about 40 occupants being trapped. SMART and DART were given the task ofhandling complicated rescue problems in this major simulated disaster. The district disaster management
elements and the local rescue and emergency relief agencies such as Royal Malaysia Police, Fire and Rescue
Department, The Malaysian Armed Forces, Medical Emergency Response Team, Civil Defence Department and
The Malaysian Red Crescent Society were involved at a minimal level. 35 DART and 26 SMART rescuers wereinvolved in the joint exercise.
The joint exercise was to promote better teamwork, proficiency and exchange of experience among SMART and
DART members. The exercise also helped to verify and evaluate the preparedness of SMART and DART in
conducting specialized search and rescue operations and promote a better understanding of each other’soperational concepts. The joint exercise was officially opened on 25 November 1997 by H.E. Datuk Seri Mohamedbin Rabmat, Malaysia Minister of Information and also the Chairman of the Malaysia National Disaster
Management and Relief Committee.
In order to further strengthen the existing close cooperation and goodwill between the two elite rescue teams of
Malaysia and Singapore, both countries agreed in principle to have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on
Disaster Management and Assistance. Perhaps the joint exercise and the proposed MoU could be used as a basis
to pave the way for similar cooperations in disaster management among ASEAN members countries in the future.

10. Cooperation Between Malaysia And Brunei On Forest Fire Fighting
Malaysia and Brunei have agreed on 1 April 1998 to cooperate and help each other in fighting the forest fires at
the Sarawak - Brunei border. Both countries have pledged to cooperate and exchange experience in fire fighting
technique at the border areas.
In principle, both countries have agreed to cooperate in conducting cloud seeding and water bombing operations onareas affected by drought, haze and forest fires, particularly at the border areas of both countries. In addition,exchange of information of weather and air quality indices will be intensified. Malaysia also allows Brunei firefighters to use water from the Limbang River in Sarawak for forest fire fighting operation. Thus this cooperation
between the two countries is a positive step towards addressing effectively future haze problems prevailing in theborder areas of Sarawak and Brunei.

1) Sub-Regional Fire Fighting Arrangements (SRFAs)
During the Third ASEAN Environment Ministerial Meeting on Haze held on 4 April 1998 in Bandar Seri
Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, it was agreed that Sub-Regional Fire Fighting Arrangements (SRFAs) are to beestablished for Kalimantan and Sumatera/Riau provinces. The SRFAs would ensure at all cost that fires areprevented from becoming an economic and environmental threat in Sumatera and Riau provinces, and that fires
in East Kalimantan must be contained and not allowed to spread to Central and West Kalimantan. The SRFAs
will incorporate mechanisms to rapidly activate and mobilise efforts to put out fires before they get out of control,
and to manage additional and complementary resources from within and outside the region. In this regard,
Malaysia was given the task of fire-fighting coordination. Malaysia is to work out procedures to activate, mobiise
and channel fire-fighting resources to target sites.

Ⅲ．FUTURE REQUIREMENTS FOR DISASTER REDUCTION
1. Risk and Vulnerability Analysis
Such analysis should be mandatory in the appraisal of all development projects. Pilot risk mapping projects andhazard and vulnerability analysis should be conducted at the micro-level using where appropriate, Geographic
Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) technology.

2. Non-Structural Mitigation Measures
1) Disaster Management System
The need to strengthen national disaster management organisational structures and support them with soundadministrative, financial arrangements and assets mobilisation.

2) Training
To increase in training activities in the country through international support and cooperation by multilateral andbilateral organisation, NGO’s and others. Also to undertake training programmes for core disasters management
personnel as well as supporting personnel in order to enhance disaster coordination and response.

3) Public AwarenessThe need for more sustained public awareness programs directed at local communities in disaster prone areas
through international cooperation and assistance.

4) Forecasting And Warning Systems
The need to improve in the methods and technology of warning system for flood, landslides and forest fire.

5) Hazard Mapping
The need to improve hazard mapping at macro and micro level.

3. Structural Mitigation Measures
The need to implement structural mitigation measures in both engineered and non-engineered structures, such as
landslide control measures, river embankments and etc. International cooperation in the transfer of knowledge
and expertise in the structural measures could greatly improve disaster reduction system in the country.

4.
International assistance in improving disaster reduction system by integrating disaster reduction measures indisaster prone areas could reduce, the loss, damage and economic disruption caused by natural disasters in the
country.

Ⅳ．CONCLUSION
1.
Policy makers as well as disaster and development experts recognise that each nation’s ability to achievesustainable economic development can be increased by reducing the impact of disasters. Therefore, Malaysia is
integrating disaster reduction in its international cooperation through enhancing regional cooperation in all
aspects of disaster management, including, prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery, throughmore effective mutual assistance activities, in order to minimise the adverse consequences of disasters on theeconomic and social development internally.

2.
Much has been accomplished within Malaysia in terms of disaster reduction since the onset of the International
Decade For The Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR). In the spirit of IDNDR, which seeks to support sustainableeconomic development, natural hazard risk assessment, mitigation and warnings must be embedded in Malaysia’s
development plans and process.

3.
Except for flooding and occasional occurrences of landslides, Malaysia is relatively not affected by other major
natural disasters. However, our involvement in IDNDR is significant through our participation in a concerted
international action aimed at reducing the impact of natural disasters in the Asian region. As a member of theUN, Malaysia fully supports and participates in the UN’s efforts in the reduction of natural disaster by observing
the UN sponsored International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction on October 13th, aimed at enhancing publicawareness on the effect of natural disasters and undertaking various activities towards reducing natural
disasters. In this respect, Malaysia is advancing its mission in national disaster management through effective
coordination and integrated approach in the building of a Culture of Prevention and Civil ProtectionlPublic Safety
in the community. Thus, Malaysia hopes to create a safe environment for the community through Disaster
Management, sustainable development and risk reduction in the 21st century.

Exchanging. sharing and acquiring disaster management information on:◆ laws and regulations.
◆ policies and strategic plans.
◆ risk management methods.
◆ organisatlonal structure.
◆ resource directories.
◆ preparedness plans.
◆ operational procedures.
◆ education and training.
◆ monitoring data.
◆ warnings and alerts.
◆ response calls◆ incident management.
◆ press release.
◆ situation reports.
◆ mitigation technologies.

◆ disaster countermeasures.
◆ restoration activities.
Exchanging and acquiring of articles, bulletins, journals, newsletter, magazines, publications, etc.
Exchanging of experts and specialists on disaster prevention, risk reduction, response, mitigation, recovery andrehabilitation.
Training of officers and personnel in disaster management and search and rescue.
Conducting of joint exercises on search and rescue.
Sharing of experiences through seminars, meetings, and conference on disaster management.
Cooperating in rendering and receiving of disaster assistance.
Crisis and Disaster Management Unit
National Security Divison
Prime Minister’s Department
September 1998

PELAN TINDAKAN JEREBU: INDIKATOR KESIHATAN, CADANGAN TINDAKBALAS DAN PELAN TINDAKAN YANG BOLEH DIAMBIL(HAZE EPISODE: HEALTH INDICATOR, PROPOSED RESPONSE AND POSSIBLE ACTION LINE)
ALERT
AIR
HEALTH EFFECTACTION LINEACTION BYOUTPUTLEVELPOLLUTANTDESCRIPTORNO ALERTEARLY
ALERT 1INDEX (API)READINGS
0-50

51100
101200Good

Regular reporting andmonitoring of API
Regular enforcement

DOE/ASMA/MMS
DOE

Regular campaign on zeroburning
Only open burning forprescribed Activities areallowed

DOE

Open burning for Prescribed
Activities not allowed

DOE

All construction sites to start
using sprinkler to suppress
dust

Local
Authorities

Industries with fuel burning
equipment to be alerted on
the need to reduce fuel use if
situation deteriorates

DOE/
Industries

Industries that have dual fuelcapabilities to be alerted on
the need to switch to cleaner
combustion method

DOE/
Industries

Intensify enforcement

DOE/Otherrelevant
agencies

Advise public on healthmeasures

MOH/IMR/
Ministry ofInformation

Industries that have dual fuelcapabilities to start switching
to cleaner combustion method

DOE/
Industries

Industries with fuel burning
equipment to be alerted on
the need to reduce fuel use if
situation deteriorates
Step-up enforcement-Intensify aerial surveillance-Close monitoring ofi. Municipal disposal sites
ii. Forest areas
iii.Estates/plantation areas
iv. Construction/quarry sites

DOE/
Industries

Hotline/Broadcastof API on
radio/TV anddaily newspaper(three times)

moderate>101<150
for lessthan 72
hrs

Unhealthy

Monitoring of upper
respiratory tract infection(URTV)/conjunctivitis/asthma
in hospitals and private
clinics

Hotline/Broadcastof API on
radio/TVanddaily newspaper(three times)

ReducedEmission / Listof
Industries
on Alert

Advise on
healthandpreventive
measures onradio / TV anddailynewspapers

DOE/Otherrelevant
agencies

Statement on
those offenders

MOH/IMR/
Ministry ofInformation

Daily reports on
affected cases

PELAN TINDAKAN JEREBU: INDIKATOR KESIHATAN, CADANGAN TINDAKBALAS DAN PELAN TINDAKAN YANG BOLEH DIAMBIL(HAZE EPISODE: HEALTH INDICATOR, PROPOSED RESPONSE AND POSSIBLE ACTION LINE)ALERT
AIR POLLUTANTHEALTH EFFECTACTION LINEACTION BYOUTPUTLEVELINDEX (API)DESCRIPTORREADINGSEARLY ALERT>151<200
Unhealthy
Total prohibition of open
DOE / Other
Reduced2
for moreburning
relevant agencies
Emissionthan 72 hrs
Advise public on healthmeasures- reduce outdoor
activities for high risk
persons- general population to
reduce vigorous outdoor
activities
Cut down traffic volume
entering urban areas byapplying the alternate
odd-even number platesystem and creating
special lane
Industries with fuel

MOH/IMR/
Ministryof Information

Local Authorities
RTD / Police

ReducedEmission

DOE / Industries

Reducedburning equipment to
reduce fuel use by 20%

ON ALERT3

201-300>251<300
for morethan 48 hrs

Very Unhealthy

Emission

Vehicles emitting blacksmoke to stop operation

DOE/RTD /Police

Advise to public on
health and reventive
measures during haze

MOH/IMR/
Ministry ofInformation

Cut down lighting andunnecessary use ofelectrical equipment

Public/TNB/IPP/Industries /VehicleMajor air pollutant
emitters:- Cements, quarries, ironend steel, wood basedindustries to shed fullload (cut down 30% fuelutilisation)
Cloud seeding

DOE/Local
Authorities/
Industries

Advise healthmeasures onradio, TV anddailynewspapers

Reducedemission/Listof industries
on alert

TUDM/MMSPELAN TINDAKAN JEREBU: INDIKATOR KESIHATAN, CADANGAN TINDAKBALAS DAN PELAN TINDAKAN YANG BOLEH DIAMBIL(HAZE EPISODE: HEALTH INDICATOR, PROPOSED RESPONSE AND POSSIBLE ACTION LINE)ALERT
AIR POLLUTANTHEALTH EFFECTACTION LINEACTION BYOUTPUTLEVELINDEX (API)DESCRIPTORREADINGSON
201-300>251<300
Very Unhealthy
DOE to alert the National Security
DOE
ReducedALERTfor more
Division (NSD) when API valueemission
3
than 48 hrs
exceeds 250
National, State and District
Committee on Disaster Relief andManagement to be on alert andOperation Center of NSD on
standby

NSD,Prime
Minister
Department

Cut down volume of traffic into city
areas and reduce usage of private
vehiclesLocal Authorities/PoliceStep-up enforcement activities andaction against smoky vehicle

DOE / RTD / Police

Earthworks and earth movements
to be stopped temporarily

Local Authorities

Housing/commercial centers,
construction sites and major roads
to be sprayed with water regularly

Local
Authorities/
Developers/
PrivateSector/public
Mim.of Education

Stop school outdoor co-curriculum
activities

301-400
WARNING4>301<400
for morethan 24 hrs

Hazardous

Cloud seeding

TUDM/MMS

National Committee on Disaster
Relief andManagement to be activated andthe Operation Center of NSD atnational, state and district levels to
be on 24-hours duty
Introduce discounted fare for public
transports

NSD, Prime
Minister
Department

Public are being continuously
advised through mass media to takehealth and preventive measures
such as wearing of mask, drink
water regularly, reduce or abandon
outdoor activities on sport andrecreation, and stay indoor as muchas possible
Emission discharges from major air
pollutant emitters to be further
reduced (cut down 50% of fuelutilisation)

MOH/IMR/
Mm. ofInformation

Hotline/Regular.
broadcast of API
on radio/TV anddailynewspapers(three times)

MED/Public
Transport
Operators

Local Authorities/
DOE / Industries

Reducedemission

PELAN TINDAKAN JEREBU: INDIKATOR KESIHATAN, CADANGAN TINDAKBALAS DAN PELAN TINDAKAN YANG BOLEH DIAMBIL(HAZE EPISODE: HEALTH INDICATOR, PROPOSED RESPONSE AND POSSIBLE ACTION LINE)

ALERTLEVELWARNING
4

AIR POLLUTANTINDEX (API)READINGS>301<400
301-400
for morethan 24 hrs>400

HEALTH EFFECTDESCRIPTOR
Hazardous

Hazardous

ACTION LINEACTION BY

High-rise buildings to
implement sprinkling ofwater from the top of thebuilding
All vehicle are madecompulsory to switch onhead lights

Local Authorities/
DBKL

Cloud seeding continue

TUDM/MMS

Schools closed

RTD / PoliceMin. of Education

EMERGENCY
5>500

Cloud seeding continue

TUDM/MMS

Declaration of “HazeEmergency” by the Prime
Minister as the National
Director of Operation
Close all Government andprivate sector offices andother working places
including industries,
estates. construction sites
and quarries, except
essential services as statedin the Internal Security
Act and Industrial
Relation Act:
Cloud seeding continue

Prime Minister
Department

More regulardissemination of API
through mass media

OUTPUT

Hotline/Regularbroadcast of API
on radio/TV anddaily newspapers(three times)All

TUDM/MMS

DOE

Hotline/Hourly
broadcast of API
on radio/TV anddaily newspapers