KUCHING — Malaysia prioritises long-term diplomatic cooperation and early preventive measures over seeking compensation from neighbouring countries in addressing the issue of transboundary haze, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also National Disaster Management Committee Chairman, said a prudent and structured diplomatic approach is the most effective way to address sensitive issues among ASEAN member states while ensuring optimal technical coordination.

“While seeking compensation does not necessarily imply definitive liability that must be borne by any specific country, taking preventive measures early would avoid the need to address such sensitive inter-state issues.

“Diplomatic measures must be pursued alongside technical efforts involving officials from neighbouring countries and Malaysian states,” he told a press conference after chairing the First National Disaster Management High-Level Committee (HLC) Meeting of 2026 at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today.

He was responding to a question on whether Malaysia intended to raise the issue of losses suffered by the country, particularly in terms of the economy, health and tourism, as a result of transboundary haze with the Indonesian government. 

Also present were Sarawak Deputy Premier and Chairman of the Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN), Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, and Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Rubiah Wang.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said the transboundary haze issue would be officially raised during his working visit to Jakarta from tomorrow until Sept 20 in conjunction with the Halal-20 Conference: 5th World Halal Summit 2026 (H20 Summit).

“That (the transboundary haze issue) is among the topics to be discussed with the Minister of Environment or the Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (in the Malaysian context).

“There are seven ministers who will be holding discussions with me, covering other areas such as the halal sector and so forth.

“A key topic I will discuss and coordinate with Bapak Gibran (Indonesian Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka) is the haze problem,” he said. 

Regarding assistance to neighbouring countries, Ahmad Zahid said the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) had been directed to stand ready to coordinate cloud seeding operations (OPA) and logistical support to help tackle forest and peatland fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, should an official request be received from the relevant authorities there.

Meanwhile, in a media statement issued following the meeting, Ahmad Zahid said the government is shifting towards an “anticipatory action” approach to address the threat of extreme hot and dry weather caused by Super El Niño.

The measures include hotspot monitoring, ensuring the readiness of firefighting assets, peatland management, enforcement against open burning and disseminating health information to the public.

“The Department of Minerals and Geoscience Malaysia (JMG) and the Department of Environment (DOE) have been asked to evaluate the use of tube wells as an alternative water source, including refurbishing existing infrastructure in high-risk areas,” he said.

According to the statement, the National Disaster Management Council (MPBN) had also approved a total allocation of RM5 million this year for OPA and related management, comprising RM2 million for Phase One, approved on June 2, and RM3 million for Phase Two, approved on Sept 2. — BERNAMA

KUCHING: Agensi Pengurusan Bencana Negara (NADMA) memperkukuh kesiapsiagaan menghadapi bencana menerusi cadangan pemusatan perolehan aset kritikal serta penggunaan sistem amaran awal hingga ke peringkat daerah dan lokaliti.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Patinggi Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi berkata, langkah itu penting bagi memastikan aset mencukupi dan dapat digerakkan dengan segera ketika bencana, selain membolehkan operasi menyelamat serta pemindahan penduduk dilaksanakan lebih awal.

Menurut beliau, antara aset yang dicadangkan untuk diperoleh NADMA ialah bot dan kenderaan berat sebelum dioperasikan serta diselenggara oleh agensi berkaitan seperti polis, bomba dan pertahanan awam.

“Bagi aset-aset, bot dan kenderaan-kenderaan berat untuk kegunaan agensi pengawasan seperti polis, bomba ataupun pertahanan awam, saranan mesyuarat tadi agar aset-aset ini dibeli oleh NADMA dan dioperasikan oleh agensi-agensi serta diselenggara oleh agensi berkenaan kerana mereka menghadapi permasalahan dari segi pembelian aset dan juga penyelenggaraan aset,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam sidang media selepas Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Peringkat Tertinggi (HLC) Pengurusan Bencana Negara Bilangan 1 Tahun 2026 di Wisma Bapa Malaysia, di sini, pada Rabu.

Pada masa sama, Datuk Patinggi Dr Ahmad Zahid berkata, sistem amaran awal sedia ada perlu dimanfaatkan sehingga ke peringkat daerah dan lokaliti bagi membolehkan tindakan pemindahan dilaksanakan sebelum keadaan menjadi lebih buruk.

“Oleh sebab itu, kita mahu supaya di peringkat koordinasi, di daerah dan peringkat lokaliti, sistem amaran awal yang sedia ada digunakan sebelum banjir berlaku, sebelum luruan hujan berlaku melebihi daripada paras biasa supaya pemindahan itu telah dilakukan awal,” ujarnya.

Menurut beliau, tindakan awal bukan sahaja dapat membantu melindungi nyawa, malah memberi ruang kepada penduduk menyelamatkan dokumen penting serta harta benda sebelum bencana berlaku.

Beliau menambah, keberkesanan pengurusan bencana turut bergantung kepada penyelarasan antara Kerajaan Persekutuan, Kerajaan Negeri, kementerian, jabatan, agensi penguatkuasaan dan pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang mempunyai aset serta kepakaran berkaitan.

Tambahnya, NGO juga boleh memainkan peranan dalam aspek komunikasi ketika bencana, termasuk menyediakan sistem komunikasi alternatif sekiranya berlaku gangguan bekalan elektrik atau sistem komunikasi sedia ada.

Pendekatan itu mencerminkan penekanan NADMA terhadap kesiapsiagaan sebelum bencana menerusi pengukuhan aset, sistem amaran awal dan koordinasi antara agensi bagi mengurangkan risiko serta melindungi masyarakat.

Turut hadir Timbalan Premier Sarawak merangkap Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Negeri Sarawak (JPBNS), Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas dan Timbalan Menteri Kemajuan Desa dan Wilayah, Datuk Rubiah Wang. -EDISI UKAS

KUCHING, Sept 16 — Malaysia prioritises long-term diplomatic cooperation and early preventive measures over seeking compensation from neighbouring countries in addressing the issue of transboundary haze, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

KUCHING: Malaysia will seek a high-level coordination mechanism with Indonesia to manage and prevent recurring transboundary haze, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said Malaysia's main aim during a meeting with Indonesian Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka in Jakarta on Thursday (Sept 17) would be to propose measures to prevent and manage disasters that affect more than one country, including other Asean nations.

"We believe prevention is better than cure, so there is a need to take early preventive measures," he told a press conference after chairing a high-level committee meeting on national disaster management here on Wednesday.

Describing this as a long-term approach, he said seeking compensation "would not represent a definitive responsibility that should be borne by any particular country".

"For me, diplomatic measures must be taken alongside technical efforts between officials of neighbouring countries," he said.

Ahmad Zahid cited flood management with Thailand as an example of the need for cross-border coordination.

He said when Thailand released water from dams that were at risk of overflowing, the water could flow into northern and east coast states in Peninsular Malaysia and cause flooding.

With a coordination mechanism between Malaysia and Thailand, water releases and the resulting flood risks could be managed more effectively, he said.

On preparations for the "Super El Niño" that could affect Malaysia next month, Ahmad Zahid said the committee had agreed that cloud seeding operations need not wait for requests from state authorities.

"Our position now is that we should not wait for a request before conducting cloud seeding operations," he said.

He said the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) could initiate cloud seeding if conditions were suitable.

Sarawak earlier this month requested cloud seeding over its three main hydroelectric dams — Batang Ai, Bakun and Murum — as well as about a dozen water catchment areas across the state to raise water levels.

The HLC also agreed that the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) would purchase disaster management assets such as boats and trucks before allocating them to relevant agencies, including the police, Fire and Rescue Department and Civil Defence Force.

The respective agencies would be responsible for maintaining the assets.