Kuala lumpur: Malaysia needs to shift from reactive flood mitigation towards greater investment in prevention as the country faces growing climate risks, said independent environment and climate consultant Ahmad Afandi Nor Azmi. He emphasized that while the government continued to spend billions of ringgit on flood mitigation projects, greater emphasis should be placed on long-term measures to reduce exposure and vulnerability before disasters occur.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Afandi highlighted that much of the country's current flood mitigation expenditure was to address localized problems linked to poor urban planning and development control, rather than tackling climate risks at source. He pointed out that the loss of flood retention ponds to development and logging activities that cause river sedimentation could reduce the capacity of rivers to carry floodwaters, resulting in mitigation projects being used to address problems arising from poor planning rather than directly tackling climate change impacts.

Speaking during the Bernama TV programme 'The Nation: Is Malaysia Ready For The Climate Risks Ahead?' at Wisma Bernama, Afandi urged greater emphasis on protecting natural assets such as water catchment forests, mangroves, and green spaces. He argued that these can provide more sustainable and cost-effective protection against climate-related hazards. He noted that Malaysia's Ecological Fiscal Transfer (EFT), which incentivizes states to protect forests and other natural assets, receives about RM250 million annually, while flood mitigation projects receive billions of ringgit, with allocations reaching RM11 billion at one point.

Afandi suggested that if 10 percent of the flood mitigation budget were transferred to the EFT, it would incentivize states to conserve water catchment forests and mangroves, potentially providing a better deal and saving more money in the future. He advocated for nature-based solutions, which could offer benefits beyond flood protection, such as water conservation, food security, and biodiversity protection, while also attracting private investment in conservation.

At the urban level, Afandi proposed dedicated annual funding to pilot and develop 'sponge cities', which are designed to absorb and retain rainwater rather than relying solely on conventional drainage and flood-control infrastructure. He explained that such an approach would allow urban areas to work with natural water flows and improve their ability to manage heavy rainfall.

Beyond physical infrastructure, Afandi emphasized the need for Malaysia to upgrade its early warning systems from generic alerts to impact-based communications that provide communities with specific and actionable information. He criticized current text or WhatsApp alerts, which inform residents of flood risks but do not necessarily guide them on what to expect or what action to take. He underscored the importance of regular community-based disaster preparedness exercises, stating, 'You cannot just have a warning system, you cannot just have information, you need to go to have a drill.'

Afandi also highlighted the need to change risk perception, particularly among communities that had historically experienced fewer major disasters. He noted that people in historically safer areas might be complacent, while those in the East Coast might be more prepared. He suggested that Malaysia could learn from community-based preparedness initiatives and regular disaster drills carried out in neighboring countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia.