Kuala Lumpur: 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. He emphasised that public involvement in disaster management is the international standard and should not be seen as a sign of government agencies’ weakness. Khairul Shahril stated that everyone, including members of the public, has a role to play in ensuring their safety, which helps reduce the risk of losses or property damage.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Khairul Shahril highlighted that NADMA encourages public and NGO involvement in disaster management by fostering a deeper understanding of multi-stakeholder collaboration, which is key to effective disaster response and preparedness. He discussed Malaysia’s efforts in international disaster management, noting that overseas humanitarian missions, particularly in ASEAN countries, have significantly enhanced the skills of the country’s rescue and relief personnel.
Khairul Shahril pointed out that each country faces unique challenges and adopts different approaches. He cited Indonesia as an example, which experiences more frequent and complex disasters compared to Malaysia. Through humanitarian missions, Malaysia can learn strategies and best practices in disaster management, which in turn helps enhance knowledge and elevate the level of disaster management within the country.
He also mentioned the involvement of the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) in Myanmar under the Malaysian Humanitarian Aid Mission. The team received recognition from the United Nations following a thorough audit process. NADMA aims to leverage Malaysia’s expertise to help raise the standards of rescue personnel across ASEAN through joint training sessions. This initiative was among the key objectives of the recent official visit by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance.
A total of 50 NADMA personnel were involved in the humanitarian aid mission and search and rescue operations for earthquake victims in Myanmar last month.