KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — The National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) takes a bottom-up approach in preparing for upcoming disasters, said its director-general Datuk Aminuddin Hassim.
He said Nadma had ramped up its community-based risk reduction management programme especially through disaster simulation exercises, in view that the public is the “first responder” in disasters.
“We have a template on what should be done in such situations (disasters), and we would like to share it.
“Moving forward, we are focusing on these simulations to ensure that communities and agencies involved are adept should disaster strike,” he said during a visit with Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Chairman Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi here, today.
He said examples of successful runs included a flood simulation at Tasik Kenyir, Terengganu in collaboration with Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and, multiple oil and gas-related disaster simulations near various Petroliam Nasional Bhd’s (Petronas) plants.
Besides that, Aminuddin said Nadma also collaborates with 1,300 non-governmental organisations via Friends of Nadma initiative which involved 27,000 members across the nation.
“Despite having government agencies to coordinate, we are also making sure that the communities themselves are ready,” he explained.
Meanwhile, when asked if the nation is ready for the upcoming flood season, he expressed confidence that everything would be in order.
He also said Nadma had learnt that timely dissemination of information was vital in managing a disaster following last year’s flood in which the aftermath shook the nation.
As such, he explained that Nadma had trained spokespersons from agencies involved in disaster management to share the latest data and information to keep the public informed. — Bernama
