KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 — The public must be equipped with basic knowledge in disaster management to prepare them for any situation, including floods, said the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) director-general Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus.
However, he emphasised that public involvement in disaster management is the international standard and should not be seen as a sign of government agencies’ weakness.
“…Internationally, everyone, including members of the public, has a role to play in ensuring their safety, which in turn helps lower the risk of losses or property damage,” he said after appearing as a guest on Bernama Radio’s Jendela Fikir programme titled Nadma dan Usaha Malaysia dalam Pengurusan Bencana Asean (Nadma and Malaysia’s Efforts in Asean Disaster Management).
According to Khairul Shahril, Nadma encourages public and non-governmental organisations’ involvement in disaster management by fostering a deeper understanding of multi-stakeholder collaboration, which is key to effective disaster response and preparedness.
On Malaysia’s efforts in international disaster management, he said overseas humanitarian missions, particularly in Asean countries, have significantly enhanced the skills of the country’s rescue and relief personnel.
“Each country faces unique challenges and adopts different approaches. Indonesia, for example, experiences more frequent and complex disasters compared to Malaysia. Through humanitarian missions, we can learn strategies and best practices in disaster management.
“Overseas experience helps us to enhance our knowledge and elevate the level of disaster management within the country,” he said.
On the involvement of the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) in Myanmar under the Malaysian Humanitarian Aid Mission, Khairul Shahril noted that the team received recognition from the United Nations following a thorough audit process.
He said, Nadma aims to leverage Malaysia’s expertise to help raise the standards of rescue personnel across Asean, through joint training sessions, among others, adding that the initiative was among the key objectives of the recent official visit by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority and the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance.
Fifty Nadma personnel were involved in the humanitarian aid mission and search and rescue operations for earthquake victims in Myanmar last month.
— Bernama
