Malaysia Country Report 2008
I. Natural hazards in Malaysia
1.1

Natural hazards likely to affect the country

Most common hazards in Malaysia are flood, landslides, haze (local and transboundary) and forest fire.
1.2

Recent major disasters for past few years
Year

Disaster

KilledInjured

2008
2008
2007
2006
2005
2005

Flood
Landslide
Flood
Flood
Flood
Mud flood

1133
19
17
3

15

Total
affected
10210
1422
1580001380001000002793

Damage(USD)

225m
343m
66m

Malaysia was shocked by landslide occurred at Bukit Antarabangsa suburban ofKuala Lumpur about 3.30am 6th December 2008. The landslide claimed 4 lives
and one still missing. It also destroyed 14 houses and cut off the access road tothe residential area, trapped hundreds of people at Bukit Antarabangsa. The
location of this landslide was about a kilometre away from the collapsed Highland
Towers that occurred 15 years ago which claimed 48 lives.
A search and rescue operation had been launched by various of government
agencies, involving more than 600 personnel such as the military, Royal
Malaysian Police, Civil Defence Department, Special Malaysia Disaster Assistanceand Rescue (Smart) team, Fire & Rescue Unit, Red Crescent, hospitals and Local
Municipal Council. The government had distributed and allocated fund fromNational Disaster Relief Trust Fund (NDRTF) to the victims. Besides, manyorganizations such as government sector, private sector, NGOs, foundations andmass media launched special campaign to raise donation from the Malaysian toease the victim’s burden. All these efforts were organized smoothly because thelesson that we learned from few disasters that occurred in recent years.
II. Disaster Management system
2.1

Administrative system

Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Malaysia
Government type: Constitutional monarchy
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions: 13 states, 3 federal territory and 114 districts

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2.2 Legal system, legal framework
The National Security Council (NSC) Directive No. 20 states the mechanism on
the management of disasters including the responsibilities and functions of thevarious agencies under an integrated emergency management system. The
directive states that when a disaster occurs, The Disaster Management and Relief
Committee have to be established at three different levels depending on theseverity of the disaster, i.e. at the Federal, State and District. The committee atthe Federal level is chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister. The State level ischaired by State Secretary while the District level is chaired by District Officer,
whereby the NSD is the secretariat at each level. Being the Secretariat, NSD isresponsible in coordinating all forms of disaster relief efforts as well as
monitoring the progress and development of these efforts.
2.3 Structure of disaster management
The National Security Division (NSD) in the Prime Minister’s Department isresponsible for coordination of all activities related to disaster.
Disaster Management And Relief Committee carries out the responsibilitiesof the NSC in coordinating all the activities related to disaster management. The
Disaster Management and Relief Committee were established at three different
levels, i.e. at the Federal, State and District levels, whereby the NSD is theSecretariat. The main functions of the Disaster Management and ReliefCommittee (DMRC) are as follows:
Federal level, DMRC is responsible in the formulation of national polices andstrategies regarding the alertness and the preparation of various agencies
involved in the handling of disasters.
DMRCs at the State and District levels are required to implement policies andstrategies as follows:Ensure sound coordination among the agencies involved in the handling ofdisasters and determines the roles of the principal emergency services(Police, Medical and Fire Department) and other supporting services;Activate the Disaster Operation Control Centre at District, State or Federal
Level whenever required;Coordinate and mobilize resources and logistics available
Government agencies and if necessary also from the private sector;

Coordinate assistance and rehabilitation to disaster victims; and

Carry out “post mortem” and report upon completion of the disaster
operations for the purpose of recording and performance evaluation for
future reference and planning.

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Other organizational arrangements:
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:To make an early assessment at the scene of potential or actual disasterand immediately activate OSCP if deemed necessary.

To identify the equipment and logistic requirement in handling thedisaster.

To coordinate the functions of various agencies involved in search andrescue operation.

To report and advise the Disaster Management and Relief Committee attheir respective level.

Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance And Rescue Team (SMART) wasestablished in 1995(NSC Directive No.19). It is responsible to the Director, Crisis
and Disaster Management Unit, NSD. SMART comprises of 85 officers andpersonnel from the Fire and Rescue Department, Royal Malaysia Police and The
Armed Forces. The Team is equipped with specialized skills and equipment’s torespond to any search and rescue operation in any major disaster on land which
is beyond the capabilities of the existing principal emergency services Searchand Rescue (SAR) teams. The team members were trained in SAR training
institutions abroad such as the USA, Sweden, Australia and Singapore. The
decision on the mobilization and the deployment of the SMART team is made bythe Director, General of the NSD or the Director, Crisis and Disaster ManagementUnit.
Malaysian Meteorological Service (MMS) provides information and warningof occurrences and adverse weather phenomena to the public through the mass
media or to other government agencies directly involved in disaster mitigation.
Central Forecasting Office (CFO) has been established in the Meteorological
Headquarters to monitor closely the weather and sea conditions over theMalaysian region. Recently Geophysics and Tsunami Division had set-up National
Tsunami Early Warning System to provide early warning of occurrence oftsunami.
Drainage And Irrigation Department Of Malaysia (DID) takes charge of:flood Control Measures, coordinate flood relief operations at federal, state anddistrict levels in coordination with the National Disaster Management and Relief
Committee in 1997, implementation of structural flood mitigation measures,

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provision of flood forecasting and warning services, and flood forecasting andwarning services (FFW).
Social Welfare Department is the main organization in charge of disaster relief
and rehabilitation works (NSC Directive No. 20 on Policy and Mechanism ofDisaster Management and Relief)
2.4 Priorities on disaster risk management
1. Risk and Vulnerability Analysis
Such analysis should be mandatory in the appraisal of all development
projects. Pilot risk mapping projects and hazard 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 organizational
structures and support them with sound administrative, financial
arrangements and assets mobilization.
2) Training
To increase in training activities in the country through international supportand cooperation by multilateral and bilateral organization, NGO’s and others.
Also to undertake training programmes for core disasters management
personnel as well as supporting personnel in order to enhance disastercoordination and response.
3) Public AwarenessThe need for more sustained public awareness programs directed at local
communities in disaster prone areas through international cooperation andassistance.
4) Forecasting And Warning Systems
The need to improve in the methods and technology of warning system forflood, 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, riverembankments and etc. International cooperation in the transfer of knowledge
and expertise in the structural measures could greatly improve disaster
reduction system in the country.

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III. Disaster management plan
National DM Strategy of Malaysia
Mission: To advance national disaster management through effective
coordination and integrated approach in the building of a culture of prevention,
protection/public safety in the community.
Vision: A safe environment for the community through disaster management
and sustainable development in the 21st century.
Main Components
A. Development. Reduce the risk of the community from disasters throughcontinuing development of disaster management capabilities in mitigation,
preparedness, response and recovery.
B. Partnership. Establish a national approach to disaster management
through coordinated and integrated system involving multi-agency andsectoral commitment in the respective level of government administration
and NGOs.
C. Education and Training. Develop and promote disaster management
education and training for officials of related agencies and community for
effective enhancement of disaster handling and awarenessD. Community Awareness. Develop a national approach to fostering andenhancing the community’s awareness of risks, and encourage
involvement in prevention /mitigation, preparedness, response andrecovery strategy.
E. Civil Protection/Public Safety. Promote and support the development ofa Malaysian Civil Protection /Public Safety capability and durability that is
responsive to threats of hazards and disasters.
F. International Cooperation. Promote and develop international
cooperation networking for exchanging, sharing and training on disastermanagement as well as cooperating in rendering and receiving of disasterassistance.
IV. Budget size on national level
Although, there is no specific budget that was allocated for any particulardisaster risk reduction, nevertheless, disaster risk reduction efforts are done byrespective agencies within the government’s machinery where they are experts
at. For example, Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing (MACRES) had
established the National Disaster Data and Information Management (NADDI)
while the National Tsunami Early Warning System was commissioned by theMalaysian Meteorological Department and the Stormwater Management andas of February 2009, ADRC

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Road Tunnel (SMART) project, which functions as a Flood Diversion Channel orTunnel, was developed by Malaysian Drainage and Irrigation Department. On theother hand, National Disaster Relief Fund under the NSD has been set up by thegovernment in channeling the funds needed in disaster relief efforts. TheMalaysian government has set aside a sum of RM50 million per year for this fund.
V. Progress and situations of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)“Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience ofNations and Communities to Disasters” has been documented in UN World
Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR) at Hyogo Japan on January 2005.
Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction had been held in Beijing, China on
September 2005 to facilitate the implementation of HFA among Asian regions.
Malaysia has just adopted the HFA in the National Disaster and FundManagement Committee Meeting on November 2005 during the National Disasterand Relief Management Committee Meeting chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister.
Malaysia is still in the phase of restructuring, reorganizing the disastermanagement system to fit in the HFA. Malaysia is also in the phase of enhancing
the coordination of responsibility between the government bodies in terms ofdisaster management system by taking the following actions:
1. To ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and local priority with astrong institutional basis for implementation.
2. To identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning.
3. Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety andresilience at all levels.
4. To reduce the underlying risk factors.
5. To strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels
VI. Projects on disaster reduction headed by Ministry
The National Disaster Data and Information Management System (NADDI) iscoordinated by NSD and MACRES. The objective of NADDI is to establish acentral system for collecting, storing, processing, analyzing, and disseminating
value-added data and information to support the relevant agencies in themitigation and relief activities of disaster management in the country. NADDI
emphasizes on the utilization of remote sensing technologies, Geographical
Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies toprovide up-to-date and reliable data to support the three components of disastermanagement, that are, (i) early warning, (ii) detection and monitoring, and (iii)
mitigation and relief for pre, during and post disaster management activities
coordinated by NSD and implemented by relevant authorities.
After the Asian Tsunami in Dec 2004, Malaysian Tsunami Early Warning System
was developed by Malaysian Meteorological Department. It involves threetechnologically advanced weather water buoys to be deployed at locations

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around Malaysia. All in all, including the equipments, tsunami analysis modelingsystem and dissemination components will cost about RM19 million.
The Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel also known as SMART Project isbeing developed to alleviate flash flood problems in the city. The 9.7 kilometersand 11.83 meters’ in diameter tunnel integrates both stormwater management
and motorway in the same tunnel.
VII. ADRC Counterpart
Director of Crisis and Disaster Management Unit
National Security Division Prime Minister's Department
Level G, West Wing, Complex A, Prime Minister's Department
62502 Putrajaya, Selangor

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