Zahid: Disaster preparedness key to reducing property losses

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid highlighted that disaster preparedness in Malaysia helps reduce property losses, noting last year's losses were RM636.9 million compared to RM933.4 million in 2024.

Ahmad Zahid emphasised the importance of early warning systems and awareness programmes to protect lives and economic values, especially during National Preparedness Month.

He urged effective land-use planning, river management, and coordination among agencies, supported by volunteers, to enhance disaster risk reduction and efficient communication during emergencies.

IPOH, Oct 11 — Preparedness in disaster management helps reduce property losses, including damage to public assets and infrastructure, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said that losses due to disasters in the country last year reached RM636.9 million, including RM380.2 million involving public assets and infrastructure.

“This figure was lower than the RM933.4 million in 2024. That is why preparedness must protect two important values, namely the value of life and economic value. Yes, we want to save lives, while also protecting homes, taking care of people’s livelihoods and preserving the fruits of the people’s hard work.

“This is where the early warning system comes in. These are awareness programmes that we must collectively translate into action. We want to raise public awareness of the importance of National Preparedness Month (BKN) in building the capacity to address potential risks before disaster strikes,” said Ahmad Zahid, who also chairs the Central Disaster Management Committee.

He said this when officiating at the launch of BKN 2026 at the Ipoh Convention Centre here today.

Also present were Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) director-general Datuk Seri Meor Ismail Meor Akim.

Ahmad Zahid said rescue teams would be mobilised whenever a disaster occurred, while the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) provided early warning systems to identify hotspots expected to experience floods and other disaster risks.

“The MetMalaysia director-general will input data into the system and notify Nadma, and me specifically, so that we can inform potential victims to evacuate and be prepared at least three days before a disaster strikes.

“However, the ability to respond efficiently after a disaster must be accompanied by a strong commitment to reducing risks before they occur. Our success is also be measured by how effectively we protect the public and reduce the risks faced by those who may be affected,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said disaster risk reduction should begin at the land-use planning and urban development stages, including identifying areas at risk of landslides and taking early action.

In addition, he said river management and the monitoring of high-risk areas are crucial for mitigating the impact of disasters.

He said early warning must be timely, easily understood and followed by actions to save lives during disasters, including giving families sufficient time to evacuate before water levels rise and helping the elderly and children reach safety, with effective communication being a key factor.

Ahmad Zahid also urged every state to translate the National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy 2030 into action plans tailored to local risks, with clearly defined agency responsibilities and implementation targets to ensure comprehensive protection for the people.

“We have managed to develop the Cell Broadcast System through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which is now in its final stage. The system does not merely monitor TikTok and other online posts; it also allows alerts to be sent directly to mobile phones in at-risk areas without interfering with or using personal data,” he added.

He said field operations were also supported by volunteers, with nearly 30,000 volunteers from 45 agencies across 14 states participating in more than 1,000 disaster relief missions over the past 10 months.

“We adhere to the two Cs: communication and coordination, with the two Cs meaning information must be conveyed clearly and on time.

“Actions must also be coordinated so that the people know what needs to be done, the committee knows how to provide assistance and agencies can act without delay.. this is the shift I want to see resulting from this National Preparedness Month,” he added. — Bernama

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马来西亚副首相艾哈迈德·扎希德强调，马来西亚的灾害防备工作有助于减少财产损失，并指出去年的损失为 6.369 亿令吉，而 2024 年的损失将达到 9.334 亿令吉。

艾哈迈德·扎希德强调了预警系统和宣传活动对于保护生命和经济价值的重要性，尤其是在全国防灾准备月期间。

他敦促各方加强土地利用规划、河流管理以及各机构间的协调，并由志愿者提供支持，以增强灾害风险降低和紧急情况下的有效沟通。

怡保，10月11日讯——副首相拿督斯里阿末扎希博士表示，做好灾害管理准备有助于减少财产损失，包括公共资产和基础设施的损坏。

他表示，去年该国因灾害造成的损失达 6.369 亿令吉，其中包括公共资产和基础设施损失 3.802 亿令吉。

“这个数字低于2024年的9.334亿令吉。因此，防灾准备必须保护两个重要的价值，即生命价值和经济价值。是的，我们既要拯救生命，也要保护家园，保障人民的生计，并维护人民辛勤劳动的成果。”

“这就是预警系统发挥作用的地方。这些宣传活动需要我们共同努力转化为实际行动。我们希望提高公众对国家防灾准备月（BKN）重要性的认识，以便在灾难发生前增强应对潜在风险的能力，”中央灾害管理委员会主席艾哈迈德·扎希德说道。

他今天在怡保会展中心主持 BKN 2026 启动仪式时发表了上述讲话。

出席者包括霹雳州州务大臣拿督斯里沙拉尼莫哈末和国家灾难管理机构（NADMA）总干事拿督斯里梅奥伊斯梅尔梅奥阿金。

艾哈迈德·扎希德表示，一旦发生灾难，救援队就会立即动员起来；同时，马来西亚气象局（MetMalaysia）也提供了预警系统，以识别预计会发生洪水和其他灾害风险的热点地区。

“马来西亚气象局局长会将数据输入系统，并通知国家灾害与应急管理署（Nadma），特别是通知我，以便我们能够在灾难发生前至少三天通知潜在的受害者撤离并做好准备。

“然而，灾后高效应对的能力必须建立在预防风险发生的坚定承诺之上。我们的成功也取决于我们保护公众和降低受影响者所面临风险的有效性，”他说道。

与此同时，他表示，减少灾害风险应该从土地利用规划和城市发展阶段开始，包括确定有山体滑坡风险的地区并及早采取行动。

此外，他还表示，河流管理和高风险区域的监测对于减轻灾害的影响至关重要。

他表示，预警必须及时、易于理解，并能促使人们采取行动在灾害中拯救生命，包括让家庭有足够的时间在水位上升前撤离，帮助老人和儿童到达安全地点，而有效的沟通是关键因素。

艾哈迈德·扎希德还敦促各州将《2030 年国家减灾政策》转化为适合当地风险的行动计划，明确各机构的职责和实施目标，以确保对人民的全面保护。

“我们已通过马来西亚通讯及多媒体委员会（MCMC）成功开发了小区广播系统，目前该系统已进入最后阶段。该系统不仅监控TikTok和其他网络帖子，还能在不干扰或使用个人数据的情况下，直接向高风险地区的手机发送警报，”他补充道。

他还表示，志愿者也为实地行动提供了支持，在过去的 10 个月里，来自 14 个州的 45 个机构的近 3 万名志愿者参与了 1000 多次救灾任务。

“我们坚持两个C：沟通和协调，这两个C意味着信息必须清晰及时地传达。

“各项行动必须协调一致，让民众了解需要做什么，让委员会知道如何提供援助，让各机构能够立即采取行动……这就是我希望通过这次全国防灾准备月活动看到的转变，”他补充道。——马新社

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