JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI

AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA

NATIONAL
RISK
REGISTER
NATIONAL RISK REGISTER

JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI

AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
Publisher
National Disaster Management Agency, Prime Minister's Department of Malaysia
2021

Disclaimer
Information provided in this report is for general purposes only. The information is provided in
good faith. The National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) or the agencies and
entities mentioned in this report make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or
implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness
of any information. Under no circumstance shall NADMA have any liability for any loss or
damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use or reliance on any information provided in
this document. For more information, please refer to [Link]

Photo Credit
The images used in this report are the property of the respective government agencies. The
National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) acknowledges their contribution.

Suggested Citation
National Disaster Management Agency. 2021. National Risk Register. Prime Minister's
Department of Malaysia, Putrajaya.
CONGRATULATIONS to the National Disaster
Management Agency (NADMA) for producing
the inaugural National Risk Register. I am proud to
note that Malaysia is strengthening its
risk-informed decision making process to support
the national agenda for sustainable development
in line with our commitments to the Sendai
Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs).

YAB DATO’ SRI ISMAIL SABRI BIN YAAKOB

Prime Minister of Malaysia

The National Risk Register is a reflection of the strong collaboration

that the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) has
developed with State Governments in fostering community
resilience to address disaster risks that are expected to
exacerbate the impacts of climate change. I wish NADMA
continued success in expanding the information and scope of the
National Risk Register in line with its mandate as the national focal
point for disaster management and multi-hazard coordination.

YB Datuk Dr. Haji Abd Latiff bin Ahmad

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions)

Six out of the seven major hazards identified in the National Risk
Register are influenced by climate change and will increase risks
over time if left unchecked. This calls for policies, legislation and
mechanisms that enable stronger interagency coordination at the
federal, state and district levels, and strategic cross-sectoral and
multi-disciplinary collaboration to implement a whole-of-govern-
ment approach and enhance community engagement.

YBhg. Datuk Dr. Aminuddin bin Hassim

Director General of NADMA
Contents
Overview

SECTION I: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 NADMA Malaysia – The National Focal Point for Disaster Management 3
1.2 Scope and Purpose 6
1.3 What is the National Risk Register? 7

SECTION II: HAZARDS AND DISASTER RISKS IN MALAYSIA 9

2.1 What are hazards and disasters? 11

2.2 Overview of Disasters 14
2.3 National Risk Profile 16
2.4 Plausible Futures 19
2.5 Can Risks Change Over Time? 20
2.6 National Preparation for Emergencies 21
2.7 Local Preparation for Emergencies 23
2.8 Improving the National Risk Register 27

SECTION III: ADDRESSING COMMON DISASTER RISKS 29

3.1 Floods 31
3.2 Tsunamis 32
3.3 Earthquakes 34
3.4 Landslides 36
3.5 Storms 39
3.6 Dry Spells (Droughts) 41
3.7 Wildfire and Poor Air Quality 43
3.8 Volcanic Activities 45

Supporting Agencies 46

Bibliography 47

Appendix: National Risk Register – Methodology 48

How are risks identified?

How are the likelihoods assessed?
How are the impacts assessed?

National Risk Register i

 BOXES
Box 1: Organization of NADMA and its institutional linkages 4
Box 2: Snapshot of NADMA in action 5
Box 3: Disaster management phases 8
Box 4: Hazards and related terminologies 12
Box 5: Disasters and related terminologies 13
Box 6: Historical disaster events (1900-2020) 15
Box 7: Past disaster events (2005-2020) 17
Box 8: DesInventar for managing disaster information 18
Box 9: PRAB program for flood forecasting 24
Box 10: NDCC for monitoring and coordinating disaster response 25
Box 11: MHP Kuala Lumpur for multi-hazard forecasting 26
Box 12: Tsunami hazard zones for coastal areas 33
Box 13: Seismic hazard map for earthquakes 35
Box 14: NaTSIS for landslide, terrain and slope management 37
Box 15: Slope monitoring along road corridors 38
Box 16: Weather forecasts on the web and smart phone apps 40
Box 17: NAWABS for managing water resources 42
Box 18: Fire hotspots and air quality monitoring platforms on the web 44

National Risk Register ii

Overview

The National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) Malaysia was established in 2015 as the
national focal point for disaster management, undertaking responsibilities formerly held by the
National Security Council of Malaysia. In 2020, NADMA completed the inaugural National Risk
Register (NRR) for Malaysia. The NRR has been developed based on data from multiple sources and
engagement with various
government agencies. The
information that was previously
distributed in various departments is
now collated under a single
agency to strengthen disaster
resilience and future planning.

This document is based on

information from the NRR where the
initial scope is on natural hazards. It
is being shared with the public to
foster local disaster risk reduction
strategies through risk profiling and
formulation of disaster resilience
plans. It is also meant to promote
better understanding and
communication of risks to enhance
actions that build up the resilience
of critical infrastructure and basic
services. The scientific values
espoused in the NRR are
documented in the Kuala Lumpur
Consensus on Science and
Technology for Disaster Risk
1
Reduction (2020) .

The first section of this document provides background information on NADMA; highlighting key
roles and activities as well as an overview of the NRR. The second section presents key findings on
hazards and disasters in Malaysia including its classification according to likelihood and impact. The
third section is devoted to provision of further information on hazards that occur in the country.
Sources of the information including websites that are accessible to the public are provided here.

The inaugural NRR records Malaysia as being subjected to seven hazards. Ranked according to the
risk matrix, these are floods, tsunami, earthquakes, landslides, storms, dry spells (drought), and
wildfires. Future work will be undertaken to expand the coverage of disaster risks in line with the
Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction. State and local authorities are encouraged to
determine risk assessments for their respective jurisdictions. The risk profile at these levels is expected
to be different due to variations of physical and geological susceptibility, exposure to hazards and
level of vulnerability.

1 The Kuala Lumpur Consensus on Science and Technology for Disaster Risk Reduction documents the commitment of stakeholders from across the
Asia Pacific, who participated in the 2020 Asia Pacific Science and Technology Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction. It was convened on 10
October 2020 under the aegis of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, NADMA and partners, to provide evidence-based information
to inform the recovery process in the context and aftermath of COVID-19 to ensure long-term disaster resilience
([Link]

National Risk Register iii

 Section 1: Introduction
.

Flooded paddy field in Rompin, Pahang, 2020

Section 1: Introduction

1.1 NADMA Malaysia – The National Focal Point for Disaster Management

Malaysia faced its worst ever monsoon floods in December 2014. This led to the establishment of the
National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) on 1 October 2015 through a Cabinet decision
on 26 August 2015. Placed under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Department (PMD), NADMA
assumed control of responsibilities pertaining to disaster management formerly held by the National
Security Council (NSC). The establishment of NADMA saw the amalgamation of three entities:
Disaster Management Division of the NSC; Post-Flood Recovery Unit of the PMD; and Special
Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART). As the national focal point for disaster
management, NADMA is
responsible for formulating policies
and mechanisms on disaster
management with the support of its
divisions.

At the national level, NADMA

serves as the Secretariat for the
National Disaster Management
Committee, overseeing the
implementation of policies and
coordination of initiatives in line
with the disaster management
cycle. NADMA also oversees public
awareness programmes and
advocates strategic research for
disaster risk reduction. The
backbone in coordinating all major
disasters in the country, NADMA
manages the National Disaster
Relief Trust Fund, directs
deployment of the SMART Team
and leads international
humanitarian assistance for
disasters. NADMA collaborates with
technical agencies at the federal,
state and district levels, including
disaster management secretariats and relief committees, as well as other organizations at the
regional and global platforms on disaster risk reduction (Box 1). As the national disaster
management agency, NADMA oversees multi-hazard management transcending natural,
biological and technological hazards, including battling the COVID-19 pandemic (Box 2).

National Risk Register 3

Section 1: Introduction

Box 1. The organization of NADMA and its institutional linkages

NADMA consists of four divisions that are dedicated to mobilize its strategic and
operational roles across all phases of disaster management (top). As the disaster
management focal point for the country, NADMA works with organizations at the
global, regional, national and sub-national levels on disaster risk management,
humanitarian assistance and disaster response (bottom). Within the country, NADMA
coordinates disaster management at the national, state and district levels, which is
critical for ensuring effective response and relief operations as well as risk reduction, in
conjunction with other government agencies and stakeholders.

National Risk Register 4

Section 1: Introduction

Box 2. Snapshot of NADMA in action

NADMA as the focal point for multi-hazard management:

Battling the COVID-19 pandemic

NADMA Malaysia has contributed significantly to support the Ministry of Health and
the National Security Council in battling the COVID-19 pandemic. NADMA led the
effort to prepare special guidelines to ensure the highest level of preparedness. The
agency also played an instrumental role in establishing a fund to assist frontliners and
victims of COVID-19. In conjunction with various stakeholders, NADMA contributed to
assess the impacts of COVID-19 on national development priorities, vulnerable groups
as well as small and medium enterprises, to strategically build continuity between
immediate measures and longer-term recovery. More critically, the lessons learnt are
being documented for better crisis preparedness and planning in the future. Specific
tasks led by NADMA include the following:

• COVID-19 Special Assistance to Malaysian citizens who lost their source of income;
• Management of COVID-19 in flood evacuation centres;
• Entry and quarantine processing of persons under surveillance arriving from abroad.

The ABC-19 programme of NADMA takes a whole-of-society approach to educating

and promoting awareness at the community level in the COVID-19 pandemic. The
acronym ABC-19 stands for Agen Basmi COVID-19 in the Malay Language, meaning
the agent to prevent COVID-19. The programme includes community surveillance,
guidance and information dissemination on prevention measures, and registration for
immunisation for groups without access to the internet.

National Risk Register 5

Section 1: Introduction

1.2 Scope and Purpose

Promote Awareness

Promote awareness of natural hazards and

disasters that have occurred and could
potentially occur in Malaysia as documented in
the National Risk Register (NRR)

Foster resilience building

Foster resilience building through
evidence-based and risk-informed
preparedness in line with the country’s
commitments to the Sendai Framework for
Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR)

Support for national agenda for

SDGs
Support the national agenda for sustainable
development and the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The scope of the inaugural NRR is on natural hazards. Further expansion to cover the full range
of hazards in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction including Natural Hazards
Triggering Technological Disasters (Natech) is under consideration. The information in this
document is drawn primarily from the NRR. It is being shared with the public to foster local
disaster risk reduction strategies through risk profiling and formulation of disaster resilience
plans. It is also meant to promote better understanding and communication of risks to
enhance actions that build up the resilience of critical infrastructure and basic services. The
scientific values espoused in the NRR are documented in the Kuala Lumpur Consensus on
Science and Technology for Disaster Risk Reduction (2020).

National Risk Register 6

Section 1: Introduction

National Risk Register

The National Risk Register (NRR) captures a range of potential impacts

of hazards and their cascading risks that may directly or indirectly
affect Malaysia in the coming years.

The National Risk Register has been developed based on data from multiple sources,
engagement with various technical agencies and ministries, and information from NADMA on
disaster management and risk reduction initiatives. The information that was previously
distributed in various government agencies is now collated under a single agency to
strengthen disaster resilience and future planning.

The NRR will leverage existing legal instruments that provide for the collection, consolidation,
analysis and sharing of information critical to an effective governance system for disaster risk
reduction. It is intended to support the role of NADMA as the focal point for multi-hazard
disaster management and coordinator of disaster events in the country through its National
Disaster Command Centre (NDCC).

It was developed by NADMA after the completion of the inaugural national level disaster risk
assessment conducted in 2020 under the Eleventh Malaysia Plan. The information is useful to
support the decision-making process and allocation of resources for the phases of disaster
management. There are five phases in disaster management or disaster management cycle,
namely: disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery (Box 3). It
would also benefit federal, state and local authorities as well as individuals, families and
businesses in promoting a culture of safety and strengthening disaster resilience.

Further Information

Further information on NADMA and key agencies that are involved in the management of
hazards and disasters in Malaysia can be obtained from:

• NADMA website: [Link]

• NDCC portal: [Link]
• Department of Environment, JAS: [Link]
• Department of Irrigation and Drainage, DID: [Link]
• Department of Mineral and Geoscience, JMG: [Link]
• Department of Social Welfare Malaysia, JKM: [Link]
• Malaysia Civil Defence Force, APM: [Link]
• Malaysian Meteorological Department, MetMalaysia: [Link]
• Malaysian Space Agency, MYSA: [Link]
• Public Works Department Malaysia, JKR: [Link]
• District and Local Council Offices

National Risk Register 7

Section 1: Introduction

Box 3. Disaster management phases

Disaster Management Cycle

The disaster management cycle in Malaysia is adapted to support existing legislative directives,
promote consistent practices and accommodate practitioners from multidisciplinary backgrounds.
The cycle comprises five phases: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is part of each phase.

Disaster Prevention (Pencegahan Bencana) focuses on long-term measures for reducing or

eliminating risk. Such measures include mainstreaming disaster risk reduction, legislation, land-use
regulations, standards, guidelines and insurance as well as measures to reduce underlying risk
factors. Aspects of prevention include delineation of disaster prone areas and vulnerable
populations, early warning tools, communication of risks to policy and decision makers as well as the
public, engaging stakeholders and providing regulations on evacuation. Prevention is the most
cost-efficient method for reducing the impact of hazards.

Disaster Mitigation (Mitigasi Bencana) aims to prevent hazards from

developing into disasters altogether or to reduce the effects of
disasters through physical construction. Mitigation measures
encompass both engineering and nature-based structures
through the use of technological and innovative solutions.

DRR Disaster Preparedness (Kesiapsiagaan Bencana) essentially

involves informing the public about disaster risks and what to
do in the event of a disaster. Information of this kind can be
incorporated into the education system, starting from early
childhood learning. In the preparedness phase, emergency
managers develop plans of action to manage disasters and take
action to build the necessary capabilities. Common preparedness
measures include communication plans, proper equipment
maintenance, training of emergency response teams, testing of early warning
methods, and development of trained volunteers among civilians.

Disaster Response (Tindakbalas Bencana) includes mobilizing the necessary emergency services
and first responders such as fire fighters, police and ambulance crews in the disaster area. These will
be supported by secondary emergency services, such as specialist rescue teams. A well-rehearsed
emergency plan developed as part of the preparedness phase enables efficient coordination of
rescue.

Disaster Recovery (Pemulihan Bencana) essentially focuses on restoring an area affected by disaster
to its previous state. Recovery efforts are concerned with issues and decisions that must be made
after immediate needs are addressed. Actions include rebuilding destroyed property,
re-employment, and the repair of other essential infrastructure. Efforts should be made to “build
back safer”, aiming to reduce the pre-disaster risks inherent in the community and infrastructure.
Effective recovery efforts take advantage of a ‘window of opportunity’ to implement prevention
and mitigation measures that might otherwise be unpopular while the impact of the disaster is fresh
in the memory of its victims.

National Risk Register 8

 Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia
.

Eroded river bank near Jerantut, Pahang, 2020

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

2.1 What are disasters and hazards?

DISASTERS
Disasters are defined by the National Security
Council of Malaysia Directive 20 as disruptions to
socio-economic activities and official duties of the
government involving loss of life, damage to
properties, economic loss and destruction of natural
habitat, which exceeds the coping capability of
citizens and requires extensive resources for action.
The management of disasters or any hazardous
event that has the potential to become a disaster is
clearly spelt out in Directive 20, depending on the
scale, magnitude and coping capacity at the
district and state levels.

DISASTER RISK
Disaster risk is the potential loss of life, injury, or
destruction or damage to assets, which could occur
to a system, society, or community in a specific
period of time, determined as a function of hazard,
exposure, vulnerability and capacity.

HAZARDS
A process, phenomenon or human activity that may
cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts,
property damage, social and economic disruption
or environmental degradation. Hazards may be
natural, anthropogenic or socio-natural in origin.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) has provided terminologies and
concepts to better explain hazards and disasters. The terminologies and concepts are useful
for promoting better understanding across multiple disciplines and sectors. The terminologies
used in Malaysia have been contextualised to suit national circumstances where necessary
(Boxes 4 and 5).

National Risk Register 11

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

Box 4. Hazards and related terminologies

Hazards

A process, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of life, injury or other
health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental
degradation. Hazards may be natural, anthropogenic or socio-natural in origin.

Natural hazards are naturally occurring physical phenomena caused either by rapid
or slow onset processes. Natural hazards can be classified into geophysical hazards
(i.e. earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic activity, etc.), hydrological hazards
(i.e. avalanches, floods, etc.), climatological hazards (i.e. extreme temperatures,
droughts, wildfires, etc.) and meteorological hazards (i.e. cyclones, storms, wave
surges, etc.). Hydrometeorological hazards are of atmospheric, hydrological or
oceanographic origin. Climatic hazards include all types of natural hazards
influenced by climate and weather.

Biological hazards comprise biological substances such as a micro-organism, virus or

toxin that pose a threat to the health of living organisms, primarily humans. This
includes substances that are harmful to animals.

Technological hazards encompass industrial pollution, nuclear radiation, toxic wastes,

dam failures, transport accidents, factory explosions, fires, and chemical spills, among
others.

Natech refers to technological hazards that arise due to the impact of a natural
hazard event.

Multi-hazard means (1) the selection of multiple major hazards that the country faces,
and (2) the specific contexts where hazardous events may occur simultaneously,
cascadingly or cumulatively over time, and taking into account the potential
interrelated effects.

National Risk Register 12

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

Box 5. Disasters and related terminologies

Disasters

Disasters are defined by the National Security Council of Malaysia Directive 20 as

disruptions to socio-economic activities and official duties of the government
involving loss of life, damage to properties, economic loss and destruction of natural
habitat, which exceeds the coping capability of citizens and requires extensive
resources for action. The management of disasters or any hazardous event that has
the potential to become a disaster is clearly spelt out in Directive 20, depending on
the scale, magnitude and coping capacity at the district and state levels.

Resources will be mobilized when the scale of potential disaster expands beyond the
coping capacity and resources available at the state level, or a disaster transcends
state boundaries, or if there is a request for assistance by the state. During a disaster
event, the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) through its National
Disaster Control Centre (NDCC) as well as federal and technical agencies work
closely with the National Disaster Management Committee and the State Disaster
Management Committee or its equivalent at the state level.

At the international level, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
defines disasters as a disruption of the functioning of a community or a society
involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and
impacts, which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope with
using its resources.

Disaster Risk

Disaster risk is the potential loss of life, injury, or destruction or damage to assets, which
could occur to a system, society, or community in a specific period, determined as a
function of hazard, exposure, vulnerability and capacity.

The UNDRR definition of disaster risk reflects the concept of hazardous events and
disasters as the outcome of continuously present risk conditions. Disaster risk comprises
different types of potential losses that are often difficult to quantify. Nevertheless, with
knowledge of the prevailing hazards and the patterns of population and
socio-economic development, disaster risks can be generally assessed and mapped.

National Risk Register 13

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

2.2 Overview of Disasters

Floods and landslides are the most common types of disasters in Malaysia. Natural hazard
events over the past 120 years (1900 - 2020) have caused the most deaths. Deaths are
associated with storms when they trigger landslides and floods (Box 6). Historically, many cities
in the country have evolved from settlements located in the lowlands adjacent to rivers. With
rapid urbanization, some densely populated cities expanded to the highlands with steep
slopes. This situation contributes to the high incidences of floods and landslides in the country.
Extreme weather and emerging climatic hazards are expected to lead to increased exposure
of cities and settlements to impacts such as floods, landslides, water stress and coastal
inundation.

Malaysia is not located within the “Pacific Rim of Fire” thus major natural hazard events such
as earthquakes and tsunami are not common. However, the occurrence of such disasters in
the country cannot be totally excluded. Earthquakes of light to moderate seismicity have
been detected in the country, especially in Sabah and Sarawak.

Storms in Malaysia are mainly localised strong wind events. Although not common, a few rare
events from the tail effect of tropical cyclones have resulted in intense rainfall. Wildfire from
peat and forest fires from local sources and transboundary sources have contributed to haze
in the country.

Earthquakes and typhoons around Malaysia

National Risk Register 14

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

Box 6. Historical disaster events (1900-2020)

* Includes storm induced landslides and floods

Source: Adapted from EM-DAT

National Risk Register 15

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

2.3 National Risk Profile

The risk profile developed for Malaysia in the inaugural NRR draws on information from past
disaster events. The country’s risk profile is represented by floods (flash floods and monsoon
floods), tsunami and earthquakes, landslides, storms, dry spells or droughts, and wildfire
(including haze). A risk matrix has also been developed based on the likelihood and potential
impact of various risks that may directly or indirectly affect the country over the next five years.

The risk matrix classifies hazards according to its likelihood and impact for Malaysia

The National Risk Register records Malaysia as being subjected to seven hazards. Ranked
according to the risk matrix, these are floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, landslides, storms, dry
spells (drought), and wildfires. The risk matrix was developed by classifying a hazard
according to its likelihood and impact. The classification was based on a hybrid approach of
combining information from open sources, technical departments and national reporting to
the UN Sendai Framework Monitor (Box 7) as well as the expert opinion of government
agencies. Tsunami and earthquake risks were emphasized during the expert engagement
sessions. The risk matrix is expected to change with time due to availability of data, evolution
in type and magnitude of hazards as well as alteration of exposure and vulnerability in
susceptible areas.

The risk profile at the state and local levels is expected to be different due to variations of
physical and geological susceptibility, exposure to hazards and level of vulnerability. State
and local authorities are encouraged to carry out risk assessments at the local scale with the
collaboration of federal technical agencies to determine their respective risk profiles.

A comprehensive repository of annual disaster events that occurred in Malaysia over the past
15 years (2005–2020) is now available in NADMA. The data is stored in the DesInventar system
adapted from the UNDRR (Box 8). Information on major historical disaster events that occurred
in the country prior to this period was also considered in building the National Risk Register.
NADMA augments its disaster database on a regular basis with information from open sources
including the newspapers, after screening for accuracy and redundancy. NADMA NDCC also
monitors the social media for hazard and emergencies events.

National Risk Register 16

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

Box 7. Past Natural Hazard Events (2005-2020)

National Risk Register 17

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

Box 8. DesInventar for managing disaster information

DesInventar is a Disaster Information Management System promoted by the United

Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Office for Disaster Risk
Reduction (UNDRR) for the systematic collection, documentation and analysis of data
about disaster events and losses due to natural hazards. The system is used for the
generation of national disaster inventories and the construction of databases of
damage, losses and the effects of disasters at various scales. DesInventar Sendai is a
software that seamlessly plots all the indicators and data required for monitoring
Targets A to D of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which corresponds
to the indicators of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including poverty
eradication (Goal 1), sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11) and climate
action (Goal 13).

Malaysia has been using DesInventar since 2020 and the data template has been
adapted to suit existing disaster loss data collection systems in the country.
DesInventar was used to develop the national risk register and it is also being utilized
for national reporting to the UNDRR Sendai Monitor. NADMA is currently encouraging
the use of the DesInventar by state and local agencies. This is to facilitate data sharing
between national and sub-national levels and implement seamless online reporting of
disaster impacts including loss and damage after an event.

National Risk Register 18

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

2.4 Plausible Futures

Over the coming years, Malaysia is expected to experience more climate-related hazards.
With increasing sea levels, extreme temperatures and intense rainfall, the impacts are
anticipated to be severe on local communities. The change in weather patterns with more
frequent and intense rainfall and longer dry spells are manifestations of climate change.
Other challenges would include dealing with heat stress if global warming proceeds
unabated. Reduced food crop yields and regional instability could also negatively impact
the economy and give rise to security issues.

Flood mitigation works at Sungai Bertam,

Cameron Highlands, 2016

Flooding is expected to worsen, taking different forms depending on the locality. The three
main types of flooding are fluvial, pluvial and coastal. Thus, flood risk management
programmes should be strengthened with proper monitoring and forecasting systems, as well
as early warning and risk communication at the local level. Capacity building is critical to
ensure effective preparedness and response during emergencies. Measures are also required
to ensure that water resources are managed sustainably, with plans to explore alternative
sources of water supply. Examples of such measures include promoting Integrated Water
Resources Management (IWRM) and Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM).

The Twelfth Malaysia Plan has a major strategy for increasing resilience against climate
change and disasters. The emphasis is on four major areas:

• Implementing evidence-based and risk-informed actions;

• Adopting integrated approaches for climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction;
• Enhancing early warning systems and disaster response; and
• Enhancing disaster preparedness and recovery

Among the initiatives that have been proposed include the formulation of a National Policy
on Disaster Risk Reduction. This will serve to guide the nation in seeking solutions to address
future impacts of climate extremes and climate change through effective community
engagement, partnerships, understanding of risks and risk financing, among others.

National Risk Register 19

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

2.5 Can Risks Change Over Time?

The threat of geophysical hazards appears to be minimal. Nevertheless, their impact is equal
and in some cases even greater than hydrological hazards. Historical records indicate that
landslides are the deadliest events in the country. With the expected change in rainfall
patterns, it is necessary to mobilize resources to prevent, mitigate and prepare for potential
disasters and their cascading effects. There also appears to be increasing tremors in Sabah
and Sarawak, which requires more detailed investigations.

Debris flow search and rescue

in Batu Hampar, Yan, Kedah, 2021

Development activities are mostly concentrated in cities and towns, and their expansion into
new areas alters the risk landscape. Natural hazards vary depending on context and
geographical setting. For example, Sabah is the most seismically active region in Malaysia,
where mild earthquakes occur occasionally, but the threat is minimal. The impact of tsunami
was observed in the north-western region of Peninsular Malaysia. However, floods occur
throughout the nation, particularly during the monsoon season. Thus, proper planning and
discussion are required between the regional authorities and technical agencies at the local
level, prior to the approval of any development projects to minimize future risks.

Climate change is expected to result in increased risks over time if left unabated. Malaysia is
anticipated to experience a rise in climatic hazards. The frequency and intensity of these
hazards are likely to escalate as global warming proceeds to 1.5 degree Celsius. With rising
sea levels and extreme temperatures, disaster risks will surge, especially for coastal
communities. Hydrological hazards will remain a major issue in the country. The risk of flooding
and landslides and its cascading effects are expected to escalate with a shifting climate.
Emerging hazards associated with Natech, pollutant mobilization and climate related
diseases among others, need to be better understood to prevent disasters.

National Risk Register 20

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

2.6 National Preparation for Emergencies

Flood monitoring systems have been established to provide forecasting and early warning of
flooding events during the monsoon season. The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID)
has developed a river basin flood forecasting and warning system. The National Flood
Forecasting and Warning System (NAFFWS) also known as Program Ramalan dan Amaran
Banjir (PRAB) by DID will be able to provide robust and effective flood forecasting and
warning service to the public, giving the public sufficient time to get prepared and protect
against the threat and minimize social and economic impact (Box 9).

Floods in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, 2019

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has maintained a weather

monitoring and forecasting system for rainfall. Seasonal forecasting systems are in place to
predict severe rainfalls especially during the monsoon season. Government agencies also
encourage local communities to prepare prior to the northeast monsoon, which usually takes
place from November to March. This includes monitoring the latest updates that are provided
from official sources. Efforts are also underway to enhance public engagement with local
emergency responders, agencies, and other communities. Pluvial flood risk management has
to be improved at the city level. MetMalaysia has been involved in a demonstration project
that forecasts multi-hazards, which is now operational in Kuala Lumpur. The replication of this
project requires the collaboration of local, state, and federal agencies as it involves
developing contingency plans to address flood risk in cities, which is expected to worsen.
MetMalaysia is also maintaining an earthquake monitoring system for the country. After the
2004 Tsunami, a national tsunami early warning system was developed to monitor tsunami
threats around our country. With the implementation of this system, government agencies
such as MetMalaysia are able to disseminate early warning information to the public using
sirens in coastal communities, messaging systems and media announcements.

National Risk Register 21

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

The Department of Mineral and Geoscience (JMG) leads several national programmes to
reduce the risk of landslides in the country. This includes terrain mapping that has been
conducted in the highland areas of Perak, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak, among others. In
conjunction with the Public Works Department (JKR), a national slope master plan has been
developed for better slope management in the country. The Department also works closely
with MetMalaysia in providing technical support for mapping of earthquake and tsunami
hazards. The operational capacity of the JMG is being strengthened to address issues related
to groundwater hazards in coastal areas due to sea level rise, subsurface geological hazards
and climate resilient groundwater aquifers to augment water supply during dryspells.

Earthquake-induced landslides
at Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, 2015

The Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA) in collaboration with the Malaysian Green
Technology and Climate Change Centre (MGTC) have been actively addressing climate
change by promoting programmes in cities to reduce carbon emission. Such programmes
include the implementation of the Low Carbon Cities Framework (LCCF), Low Carbon Cities
Master Plan (LCCMP) and Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint (LCMB). Climate change mitigation
is a disaster prevention measure to reduce risks due to global warming and intensification of
extreme weather, sea level rise and other climatic hazards. However, these programmes
have to be expanded to include measures for disaster risk reduction in the immediate term
and climate change adaptation in the long term. Awareness campaigns targeting local
communities as well as capacity building of technical agencies are being planned to ensure
that the country is well prepared to handle emerging climatic risks.

National Risk Register 22

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

2.7 Local Preparation for Emergencies

As the focal point for disaster management in Malaysia, NADMA collaborates with various
parties to enhance community awareness and promote community-based disaster
management programmes. The NDCC of NADMA is the national disaster management
coordination centre that communicates with the Disaster Management Secretariat at the
state and district levels (Box 10). The NDCC also collaborates with government agencies such
as MetMalaysia, Ministry of Health (MOH), DID and JKR, among others in handling major
national disasters.

Emergency rescue operations

in Titi Hayun, Yan, Kedah, 2021

Crisis-response centres have been established at the Disaster Management Secretariat at the
state and district levels to prepare local communities in responding to disaster events. Disaster
resilience at the local level has also been strengthened with more cities establishing
dedicated crisis-response centres to handle small but frequent disaster events. Cities such as
Kuala Lumpur have set the benchmark in developing a forecasting system for multi-hazards,
which is now operational at the emergency response centre (Box 11).

In addition, the government has also established a disaster relief fund to support impacted
communities. The primary focus is on engaging with local communities to build awareness
and preparedness for floods and landslides. Disaster drills are actively conducted in areas that
were heavily impacted by the 2004 tsunami. Most of the coastal communities in northwest
Peninsular Malaysia have been trained to react accordingly in disaster emergencies.

National Risk Register 23

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

Box 9. PRAB programme for flood forecasting

The National Flood Forecasting and Warning Program (NWFFWP/ PRAB) has four key
objectives:

• Develop a system that can forecast monsoon floods 7 days earlier based on
weather forecast data from the Malaysia Meteorological Department.

• Increase the capacity of the existing system for warning and dissemination of
monsoon floods from 6 hours to 2 days earlier for the benefit of related agencies and
the population affected by the flood.

• Increase the accuracy of flood forecasting by reducing the difference between

forecast and observed data from 1 meter water level to less than 0.5 meters.

• Develop a system that is capable of forecasting and disseminating flash flood

warning to the public from 1 to 3 hours earlier, based on weather forecast data from
MetMsia.

Further information is available at

[Link]

National Risk Register 24

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

Box 10. NDCC for monitoring and coordinating disaster response

The National Disaster Command Centre and Disaster Management Coordination

Centre (NDCC) of NADMA monitors and coordinates disaster response including early
warning to the public. It also manages the Disaster Information Management Systems
(MYDIMS) and hosts the web portal (Portal Bencana) that disseminates information on
hazards and disasters to the public.

Further information is available at [Link]

National Risk Register 25

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

Box 11. Kuala Lumpur MHP for multi-hazard forecasting

The Multi-Hazard Platform (MHP) is a forecasting system for weather and early warning
of geophysical and atmospheric hazards at the city level. Initiated as a pilot funded
by the Newton Ungku Omar Fund, the Kuala Lumpur MHP displays meteorological
forecasts up to three days in advance at the street level. It also displays areas
susceptible to geophysical hazards (floods, landslides, sinkholes) and atmospheric
hazards (rain, strong winds, temperature, air quality) to graphically communicate risk
to city managers and first responders in the city. The MHP is currently operational in
Kuala Lumpur with support from MetMsia and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Further information on development of the MHP is available at [Link]

National Risk Register 26

Section 2: Hazards and Disaster Risks in Malaysia

2.8 Improving the National Risk Register

The development of the inaugural National Risk Register is a positive step for disaster
management in Malaysia. It is an indication that the country is very serious about protecting
its infrastructure and the assets of investors in the country. The National Risk Register will be
periodically improved to take into account the following:

• Establishing and enriching disaster repositories at agencies, states and cities to improve
data provision to the public, i.e. via EM-DAT. [Link]

• Recording and assessing loss and damage for disaster events, including direct and indirect
costs for property damages, casualties, etc. in line with the Sendai Framework Indicators.
[Link]

• Implementation of the DesInventar template at the sub-national level for online data
submission on disaster loss. [Link]

• Exploring risk financing options for mitigating disaster loss, including insurance products for
floods, landslides, earthquakes etc.

• Systematically mapping and assessing disaster risk for specific and multi-hazards at national
and sub-national scales, in line with current approaches.
[Link]

• Encouraging states and cities to carry out disaster risk assessment at the local level and
considering a disaster resilience scorecard system and action planning.
[Link]
ter-resilience-scorecard-assessment-and-disaster-risk-reduction-drr-action-planning

National Risk Register 27

 Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks
.

Floods in Kampung Padang Kijang,

Tanah Merah, Kelantan, 2019
Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

3.1 Floods
Background

• Generally, floods affect the highest number of people in Malaysia. There are at least four
main types of flooding: monsoon/seasonal, fluvial, pluvial flash floods and coastal floods.
Monsoon or seasonal floods occur on the largest scale, inundating areas state-wide and
affecting several states at once during the almost yearly monsoon season, especially the
northeast monsoon season from October to March. Fluvial flooding typically happens around
riverine or floodplain (low lying) areas. Pluvial flash floods frequently occur on a smaller scale
affecting mainly urban areas. Coastal floods occur near the shore.

• Historically, there were at least 50 significant flooding events in Malaysia. The oldest on
record is the “Bah Air Merah” (1926) in Kelantan, followed by the “Kuala Lumpur Flood” (1971).
However, the most recent and worst event occurred in 2014, where eight states (Sabah,
Kelantan, Pahang, Terengganu, Perak, Johor, Selangor and Perlis) were affected.

• These flood disasters were widespread and recorded in many international and national
databases. EM-DAT (International) database sources show that flood disasters have affected
Malaysia from 1900 to 2020.

What is being done about the risk?

• Flood prevention and mitigation strategies such as environmental conservation, policy, laws
and economic development plans have been emphasized since the First Malaysia Plan (1966
– 1970).

• The installation of early flood warning systems at the community level with aid from local
authorities.

What you should do:

• Consult the relevant government agencies to check on flood risk information for your area.

• Since 2000, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage has maintained an online platform to
provide updates on the status of floods. Thus, local communities constantly experiencing
flood issues should use this website to monitor flood situations.

National Risk Register 31

Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

3.2 Tsunamis
Background

• There is currently no threat of a locally generated tsunami in Malaysia.

• On record, Malaysia has only been impacted by a tsunami once, in 2004, caused by an
earthquake in Indonesia. Distant tsunamis generated by earthquakes originating from
Indonesia (Indian Ocean) and the Philippines (South China Sea, Sulu and Celebes Seas) pose
a threat to certain coastal areas along the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Langkawi,
Kedah, Penang and Perak) and also along the whole coast of Sabah.

• Based on tsunami simulations in the Indian Ocean, several major cities and towns are
deemed at risk from tsunamis coming from Indonesia, including Alor Setar, Kuala Kedah,
Georgetown, Balik Pulau, Butterworth, Lumut, Seri Manjung, Sitiawan, Sungai Besar. Tsunami
simulations in the Sulu Sea further indicate that coastal areas along Kudat, Sandakan and
Lahad Datu are also at risk. Tsunami simulations in the Celebes Sea indicate that the coastal
areas along Tawau and Semporna are directly exposed to tsunami waves and thus at a
higher risk (Box 12).

• Tsunamis generated by large submarine landslides in the South China Sea may put coastal
areas along Sabah and Sarawak at risk, although the likelihood of this occurring is unlikely.

• With the impending rise of sea level due to climate change, more inland areas in tsunami
risk zones may be exposed and these have to be delineated.

What is being done about the risk?

• The Malaysian Meteorological Department has produced a tsunami risk map to identify
high-risk areas due to tsunamis, particularly along the coastline throughout Malaysia.

• Tsunami risk reduction has been carried out by providing public awareness, drills, developing
evacuation plans, and conservation of mangrove areas.

• Extra effort and resources have been allocated for high-risk areas in northwest Peninsular
Malaysia and southeast Sabah for tsunami disaster risk reduction including preparing detailed
evacuation plans, targeted public education and awareness programmes, and protection of
mangroves areas.

What you should do:

• Consult the relevant government agencies prior to any construction to find out the risk of
tsunamis, particularly near exposed coastlines.

• Identify the risk in your area and get more information from local authorities and relevant
government agencies.

• If you are a visitor in the areas at risk, look out for high ground or evacuation route signage
as a precaution. Follow instructions by the authorities during emergencies.

• Learn about the procedures: What to do Before, During and After a Tsunami from relevant
authorities, booklets or websites i.e. MetMalaysia
([Link] or USGS

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Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

Box 12. Tsunami hazard zones for coastal areas

Source: MOSTI (2009). Seismic and tsunami hazards and risks study in Malaysia. Summary for policy makers.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Academy of Sciences Malaysia.

A tsunami hazard map has been developed for coastal areas in Malaysia based on
known historical tsunamigenic sources in neighbouring regions. High risk zones are
coloured in pink and low risk zones are in green.

National Risk Register 33

Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

3.3 Earthquakes
Background

• There is no widespread threat of local earthquakes in Peninsular Malaysia. The future threats
in Peninsular Malaysia will come from distant, large earthquakes in Sumatra.

• Significant local earthquake incidents have only been recorded in Sabah. Based on the
USGS Earthquake Database, from 1900 to 2020, about 31 moderate (magnitude larger than
5.0 Mw) earthquakes were recorded onshore and offshore Sabah. Out of the 31, four
earthquakes of magnitude 6 Mw and above occurred within Sabah. These are the 2015
Ranau earthquake (6.0 Mw), 1976 Lahad Datu earthquake (6.2 Mw), 1951 Kudat earthquake
(6.1 Mw) and 1923 Lahad Datu Earthquake (6.3 Mw). The epicentres of the earthquakes were
concentrated on the east coast of Sabah, around Lahad Datu-Kunak area, and
Kundasang-Ranau area.

• Sabah earthquakes are attributable to the active subduction zone along the trenches of
the Philippines, Manila, Negros, Sulu, Cotabato and North Sulawesi.

What is being done about the risk?

•A seismic hazard map of Malaysia was produced by the Department of Mineral and
Geoscience (JMG) in 2017, which indicates the probability of an earthquake occurring
throughout Malaysia (Box 13).

•Resources have been channelled to earthquake-prone areas, particularly in enhancing

public preparedness and awareness, as well as promoting the use of seismic resilient
construction standards developed by the Department of Standards Malaysia.

• Public preparedness and awareness of earthquake disasters can reduce the risk and threat,
particularly to the community.

•More resources are required for high-risk earthquake areas to undertake prevention and
preparedness measures such as targeted public awareness programmes and
implementation of the newly developed seismic building code prepared by the Department
of Standards Malaysia.

What you should do:

• Consult the relevant government agencies prior to any construction to find out the risk of
earthquakes in your area.

• Learn about earthquake hazards and risks in your area.

• Learn about the procedures: What to do Before, During and After an earthquake from
booklets issued by relevant authorities or official websites i.e. MetMalaysia
([Link]

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Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

Box 13. Seismic hazard map for earthquakes

Source: Department of Mineral and Geoscience Malaysia in 2017

The Seismic Hazard Map shows peak ground acceleration (PGA) values for areas in
Malaysia. This information is included in the Malaysia National Annex MS
EN1998-1:2015 Eurocode 8: Design for Structures for Earthquake Resistance – Part 1:
General Rules, Seismic Actions and Rules for Buildings.

National Risk Register 35

Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

3.4 Landslides
Background

• Landslides are associated with poor construction practices and inappropriate construction
on sloping sites with a history of landslides or problematic disturbed grounds and
development in the highlands.

• Landslides that occur close to settlement areas or along public routes could potentially
result in loss of life, injuries, property damage or disruption of essential services. For example,
the Highland Tower collapsed due to a landslide in 1993, killing 48 people.

What is being done about the risk?

• Early warning system and detection of soil movements are being implemented in high risk
areas.

• Landslide inventory maps and slope hazard and risk maps have been produced by the
Department of Mineral and Geoscience (Box 14). The Department of Public Works focuses on
slope hazards along road corridors (Box 15).

What you should do:

• Consult the relevant government agencies prior to any construction work especially near
foothills or landslide-prone areas.

• Be mindful of tell-tale signs of landslides along slopes.

• Perform slope maintenance by keeping good drainage and vegetation or engage

professionals for assessment.

Installation of the Global Navigation Satellite System

at the landslide area in Kundasang, Sabah, 2021

National Risk Register 36

Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

Box 14. NaTSIS for landslide, terrain and slope management

Source: Department of Mineral and Geoscience Malaysia in 2017

National Geospatial Terrain and Slope Information System (NaTSIS) is an integrated

web-based landslide, terrain and slope management system that is accessible to all
government agencies to assist planning and decision making. It was developed
under the Slope Hazard and Risk Mapping (PBRC) project to complement the
National Slope Master Plan (2009-2023) and provide information on development
suitability.

[Link]

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Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

Box 15. Slope monitoring along road corridors

The Slope Engineering Branch of the Department of Public Works conducts automatic
and continuous monitoring of slopes along selected road corridors that are
susceptible to failures. An example is the Robotic Total Station located along the
Simpang Pulai Road (Section 44, FT 185), which was installed to provide timely and
reliable information for early warning and mitigation actions. Early warning system and
real-time monitoring, in conjunction with policy and institutional framework, hazard
mapping and assessment and loss assessment constitute major thrusts of the National
Slope Master Plan 2009-2023. The Master Plan comprises detailed actions with key
performance indicators up to 2023.

National Risk Register 38

Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

3.5 Storms
Background

• Convective and tropical storms have occurred in Malaysia. A convective storm is a type of
meteorological hazard generated by the heating of air and the availability of moist and
unstable air masses. Convective storms range from localized thunderstorms (with heavy rain
and/or hail, lightning, high winds, tornadoes) to meso-scale, multi-day events. Localized
storms are characterised by strong winds, sometimes with heavy rain, with a magnitude that
could blow away house roofs, but not uproot trees.

• A tropical storm originates over tropical or subtropical waters. It is characterized by a

warm-core, non-frontal synoptic-scale cyclone with a low pressure centre, spiral rain bands
and strong winds. Depending on their location, tropical cyclones are referred to as hurricanes
(Atlantic, Northeast Pacific), typhoons (Northwest Pacific), or cyclones (South Pacific and
Indian Ocean). Malaysia generally is outside of the typhoon track. Malaysia has experienced
two direct hits, namely Tropical Storm Greg (Dec 1996) and Typhoon Vamei (Dec 2001); and
one tail effect of Tropical Storm Hilda (Jan 1999). They cascaded into debris floods, landslides
and flood disasters.

What is being done about the risk?

• Models and templates to analyse loss and damage are being developed and
implemented.

• Alerts and advisory warnings are routinely disseminated (Box 16).

What you should do:

•Monitor weather forecast systems to get the latest update.

• Check advisories released by authorities in public and social media.

•Awareness and education materials:

[Link]

National Risk Register 39

Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

Box 16. Weather forecasts on the web and smart phone apps

Online platform for weather forecasting in Malaysia

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has developed a weather

forecasting app, which is freely available on Google Play and App Store. The intention
is to provide real-time information and a forecast model at no cost. The app serves as
a user-friendly tool to disseminate daily weather information for Malaysians. The
service includes updates on thunderstorm, continuous heavy rain, strong wind and
rough sea and tropical cyclone. It also covers seismological information, weather
radar and satellite image. The information can also be accessed via the website of
MetMalaysia.

National Risk Register 40

Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

3.6 Dry Spells

Background

• In humid tropical Malaysia, drought is a term referring to a dry spell as opposed to a rainy
season. However, irregular dry weather and prolonged lesser rain periods do cause water
shortages at times. The demand for daily potable water and commercial use can escalate
this situation to crisis level.

• Malaysia is generally endowed with fairly abundant rainfall in the order of 3000 mm
annually, of which surface run-off is around 57%. About 60% of rain falls between November
and January annually. Seasonal distribution and variation, both temporally and spatially,
renders some regions to be occasionally water-stressed. Dry spells also increase the risk for
wildfires and major health issues associated with respiratory functions.

• Malaysia experiences water stress primarily due to management factors coupled with the
high demand for water supply. Official data reveals that 2014 and 2016 were the two worst
years. The international database (EM – DAT) also suggests likewise.

• The challenges in water management are many and diverse, and at times unanticipated.
As such, shifts to strengthen existing governance measures remain a priority for the Federal
and State governments. This has been reflected in the various Malaysia Plans, the most recent
in the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (2021-2025), where a comprehensive Water Sector Transformation
Plan has been introduced.

What is being done about the risk?

• Implementation of integrated water resources management (Box 17).

• Augmented or alternative water source from groundwater.

• Enforcement and monitoring to prevent pollution.

What you should do:

• Get updates on water resources status and early warning on potential and current dry-spell
status from official online sources.

• Check advisories released by authorities in the public and social media.

National Risk Register 41

Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

Box 17. NAWABS for managing water resources

Online platform for weather forecasting in Malaysia

The National Water Balance Management System (NAWABS) is a robust Decision

Management Support System (DMSS) framework to balance water supply and
demand via a detailed assessment of future weather patterns. The system
incorporates real-time data on rainfall, river levels and flows into a modelling software
and ensures that a comprehensive assessment is conducted for forecasting.
Information for short-term forecasts is extracted from the Malaysian Meteorological
Department. Long-term forecasts such as climate projections require inputs from
global models. The overall objective is to ensure water accounting, water availability
and water allocation in times of weather extremes such as dry spells.

For more information, please visit [Link]

National Risk Register 42

Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

3.7 Wildfires and Poor Air Quality

Background

• Most of the fires in Malaysia occur in degraded forests or peat swamp forests, both in
Peninsular Malaysia and along the coasts of Sabah and Sarawak.

• Wildfires also occur occasionally due to improper forest and peatland management, slash
and burn activities and poor water management.

• Wildfire events including peatland fires; and their resultant haze are among the new hazards
in the region.

• Transboundary haze is air pollution attributed to seasonal fires that occur in forests and
farmlands of neighbouring countries. The pollution crosses the boundary of countries giving
rise to issues such as health risks from suspended solid particles in the air and low visibility that
disrupt air and sea navigation.

What is being done about the risk?

• Groundwater is used to artificially recharge soil water and keep the peatlands wet during
dry spells to prevent the ignition of fires, under the Peat Soil Area Fire Prevention Programme.
The programme is a collaboration of the Department of Environment, Fire and Rescue
Department, Department of Mineral and Geoscience Malaysia, and Department of Irrigation
and Drainage.

• The ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution was signed on 10 June 2002 in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by all ASEAN Member States. The Agreement includes preventing,
monitoring, and mitigating land and forest fires to control transboundary haze pollution
through concerted national efforts, regional and international cooperation. The Agreement
came into force in 2003 and has been ratified by all ASEAN Member States

What you should do:

• Regularly check fire hotspots and air pollution information on the websites of the
Department of Environment (DoE), Malaysian Space Agency (MySA) and MetMalaysia (Box
18).

• Check advisories released by authorities in the public and social media.

National Risk Register 43

Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

Box 18. Fire hotspots and air quality monitoring platforms on the web

Fire Weather Index by MetMalaysia Forest Fire Information Sistem (ForFIS) by MySA

Air Pollutant Index of Malaysia by DoE

The fire weather index was developed by the Malaysian Meteorological Department
(MetMalaysia). This index includes build-up, initial spread, drought code, duff moisture
code and fine fuel moisture code. The Forest Fire Information System (ForFIS) was
established by the Malaysian Space Agency (MySA). Since the cross-border haze in 1997,
MySA took the initiative to develop a Total Forest Fire Management Plan (TFFMP). This
includes the detection and monitoring of forest fires in Malaysia and ASEAN countries. The
hotspot information is detected through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)
satellites. The Air Pollution Index was implemented by the Department of Environment
(DoE). The index is developed using data from a network of environmental monitoring
stations that has been installed to detect any change in air quality. The index represents
the effect of air quality on human health.

National Risk Register 44

Section 3: Addressing Common Disaster Risks

3.8 Volcanic Activities

Background

• There are scientifically inaccurate claims of volcanic activity in Malaysia.

• Malaysia is situated some distance away from the Ring of Fire where a series of volcanos are
located along major tectonic plates.

• No active volcano is reported within Malaysia. Mud volcanoes are found mainly in Sabah
and Sarawak. These must not be mistaken for the actual igneous volcanoes, as they do not
produce lava and are not necessarily driven by magmatic activity.

• Several volcanic cones in Sabah of the Holocene age were reviewed and considered not
active. There is a 27,000-year-old volcanic cone mountain remnant known as Mount
Bombalai in Tawau, Sabah, which is no longer active.

How will it affect us?

• Generally, Malaysia is not affected by volcanic activities in the neighbouring region. Only
some cases of disruptions in regional aviation were reported. Historically, dust from volcanic
eruptions from Indonesia of very large but rare events are known to have reached Malaysia,
i.e. Krakatau (1883), Pinatubo (1991), Tambora (1918) and Toba (74,000 years ago). Eruptions
of these scales only recur at most every hundred up to thousands of years.

Apas Kiri Hotsprings in Tawau, Sabah

National Risk Register 45

 Supporting Agencies
The inaugural NRR was developed by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA)
Malaysia with technical support from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Southeast Asia Disaster
Prevention Research Initiative (SEADPRI-UKM). The support and contribution of the following
agencies are much appreciated:

Ministry of Environment and Water

Ministry of Higher Education
Ministry of Communication and Multimedia
Ministry of Works
Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources
Ministry of Transport
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Ministry of Health Malaysia
Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Ministry of Education
Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities
Ministry of Rural Development
Ministry of Housing and Local Government
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries
Ministry of Youth and Sports
Malaysian Armed Forces
Royal Malaysia Police
Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department
Public Works Department
Department of Statistics Malaysia
Atomic Energy Licensing Board
Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia
Department of Irrigation and Drainage
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education
Department of Veterinary Services
Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia
Malaysian Space Agency
Local Government Department, Ministry of Housing and Local Government
National Security Council, Prime Minister’s Department
Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia
National Youth and Sports Department
Department of National Heritage
Department of Town and Country Planning
Department of Fisheries Malaysia
Department of Women Development
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Department of Environment
Department of Mineral and Geoscience Malaysia
Malaysian Civil Defence Force
Department of Social Welfare
Department of Agriculture
Implementation & Coordination Unit, Prime Minister’s Department
Construction Industry Development Board
NADMA Science and Technology Expert Panel for Disaster Risk Reduction (STEP for DRR)

National Risk Register 46

 Bibliography

AHA Centre (2018). Disaster Monitoring [Link]

ASEAN (2010). Synthesis Report on Ten ASEAN Countries Disaster Risks Assessment.
[Link]
ent

DesInventar (2016). Inventory system of the effects of disasters. [Link]

ESCAP (2018). Statistical Geospatial Indicators on Disaster-related SDGs.

[Link]

OCHA (2021). OCHA in Asia and the Pacific. [Link]

UNDP (2015). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

[Link]

UNDRR (2020). Hazard Definition & Classification Review: Technical Report.

UNISDR. (2015). Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

[Link]

UNISDR (2017). Words into Action Guidelines: National Disaster Risk Assessment (Governance
System, Methodologies, and Use of Results).
[Link]

UNISDR (2018). Words into Action Guideline: Implementation guide for local disaster risk
reduction and resilience strategies. [Link]

United Kingdom (2017). Guidance: National Risk Register of Civil Emergencies – 2017 Edition.
[Link]
7-edition

National Risk Register 47

 Appendix: National Risk Register - Methodology

How are risks identified?

The dynamic socio-economic conditions and climate change makes historical evidence
insufficient to establish a robust indication of the level of risk in a particular country. Malaysia
certainly has a history of disastrous events. However, most calamities have a wide range of
probabilities, lack of risk maps for specific hazards at the national scale (except earthquakes
and tsunamis), and insufficient long track disaster losses database. This makes it challenging
to assess its risk. Thus, for a start, the NRR was constructed from the two main components.
Firstly, hazard identification by retrieving information from international and national sources.
Secondly, analysis of the nature and likelihood of those events, followed with vulnerability
elements, which focuses on the degree of loss and damage (can be accessed from
open-source data such as the newspapers). The combined data was discussed with experts
from government agencies and other institutions.

How are the likelihoods assessed?

The disaster record in Malaysia was acquired from open-source data (i.e. newspapers),
national and international database. A set of templates was utilized by obtaining the required
collection parameters from the DesInventar system, a freely available tool to broadcast
disaster information. The template was established by incorporating extracted information
from newspapers. Subsequently, the frequency of any hazard can be acquired for the
likelihood assessments. For example, floods have a higher frequency in comparison to
landslides or earthquakes, which implies floods have higher likelihood of occurrence.

How are the impacts assessed?

Impact assessment was based on parameters such as the number of deaths, injury, affected
people, economic loss and damage to property. These parameters were utilized to produce
a hybrid model as mentioned in the previous section. The information serves as an important
basis to understand the scale of damage from certain hazards. For instance, the 2014 Bah
Kuning flood caused severe loss of lives and damage to properties; this makes floods highly
impactful. Since floods are frequent, they can be easily classified as having high likelihood
and impact. On the other hand, the 2015 Sabah earthquake killed 18 people and caused
extensive damage, while the 2004 North Sumatera tsunami reached the shores of the country
only once. These can be classified as high impact low frequency events; they are rare in
Malaysian history. A risk matrix is used to assess the impact and likelihood of natural hazard
events for Malaysia.

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Types of disasters in Malaysia

Frequency

Impact

Loss and damage

Economic damages were assessed based on open-source data (i.e. newspapers) and the National
Disaster Relief Fund (KWABBN). The open-source information ranges from 2005 – 2020. Disaster losses
in the last 15 years involving floods were enumerated at RM 886 million, while landslides (RM 75
million), earthquakes (RM 94 million) and storms (RM 80 million) were much less. Based on the
compiled auditor’s and government reports on expenses for disaster response and post-disaster
phases, including financial assistance for loss of income, damaged house, livestock and
aquaculture damage, agricultural damage, and burial cost for the victims of disasters, flooding has
caused the most economic loss, followed by storms, droughts, landslides, tsunamis and others.

National Risk Register 49

 JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA