KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 30): The government plans to introduce a special law to improve and enhance disaster management preparedness in the country, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Thursday.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the government is also drafting the National Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Policy.

He said these efforts were being made, considering the country is always faced with the threat of natural disasters such as floods during the Northeast Monsoon season.

“The government is considering formulating a special law to enhance our preparedness in facing disasters and as soon as the policy is approved by the Cabinet, we will hold various engagement sessions.

“Soon after the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) announced (matters related to disaster management) in the Mid-Term Review of the 12th Malaysia Plan last year, the first thing carried was to review the National Security Council Directives, and we are also in the process of formulating a DRR Policy,” he said during the Minister’s Question Time in Dewan Rakyat.

He was responding to a question from Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang) regarding the government’s plans to ensure the preparedness of all agencies to manage the increasingly complex and diverse natural disasters and the details on the construction of the Permanent Disaster Evacuation Centres (PPKB).

According to Armizan, the disaster management model practised in Malaysia is based on the best practices of other countries, which is management by a centralised agency.

Referring to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), he said there were 144 countries that use the same practice, but each with its own law and coordinated through one centralised agency, which is the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).

But, there is still a lot to be done to improve disaster management, he added.

Regarding the PPKB, Armizan said the pre-implementation process of the project, which included the preparation of specifications and building design, had started with the Public Works Department (JKR) as the implementing agency.

The government expects the procurement process to be finalised in the first quarter of next year, to ensure the project can be completed fast, he added.

Prior to this, the government announced that the PPKB would be built in nine states, among them at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Gual Tinggi, Pasir Mas, in Kelantan; SK Seri Medan, Batu Pahat, in Johor; SK Benta, Kuala Lipis, in Pahang; SK Banggol Peradong, in Terengganu; and SK Perwira, Teluk Intan in Perak. 

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