SEREMBAN, April 19 — A Negri Sembilan assemblyman today suggested that the state government form an action committee to address climate change, especially to combat unexpected flood disasters in the future.

Chennah assemblyman Anthony Loke Siew Fook said a holistic approach should be expedited with a specific portfolio on policies to address disasters with the involvement of various agencies including the meteorological, environment and public works departments.

"In the past, we may have flash floods, but we have never seen such a large scale of floods like last December. Jelebu is the driest place, but with extremely heavy rains a major flood occurred.

"Heavy rains not only cause floods but also landslides that endanger the population and all these disasters led to big and global problems, as such climate change will affect everyone,” he said.

He said this when debating the motion of thanks for the Royal address at the first sitting of the fifth term of the 14th Negri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly here.

Loke, who is also Seremban MP, said the setting up of the committee was also important to oversee and plan initial actions before and after the disaster, thus minimising the impact on the people and the environment.

He said the state government should also take proactive steps to review and improve the structure of the disaster committees so that more coordination between departments and assistance could be given to the victims quickly.

Loke, who is also the DAP secretary-general, also suggested that a specific law on anti-party hopping be created at the Negri Sembilan government level to prohibit any elected representative from either the government bloc or the opposition from leaving the party.

He said although the Negri Sembilan government had not changed since 2018 and no assemblymen had jumped the party, there should be legal guarantees so that the state government formed could be maintained throughout the mandate period.

"I want to suggest and state here that the state government should take immediate steps to draft the law with amendments to the constitution of the Negri Sembilan government,” he said.

The sitting continues tomorrow. — Bernama