PUTRAJAYA: The country is facing a serious challenge posed by frequent floods in areas that have previously been unaffected, said National Security Council (MKN) director-general Datuk Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin.
He said the rate and intensity of flooding are on the rise, along with the duration of the disaster affecting several states in Malaysia.
“We are now seeing a rise in the frequency of floods, an increase in flood days, and what concerns me the most is that places that have never seen floods are now experiencing them.
“But, we are not ready. Floods in Kelantan and Terengganu are so common that children are now looking forward to them. Yet, flooding is a very traumatic experience,” he said at the National Security Index (IKK) 2023 townhall session here yesterday, Bernama reported.
Raja Nushirwan also said the situation has come to the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who prioritised and took flood mitigation projects across the country seriously.
For the record, the government has allocated RM11.8bil for the implementation of 33 high-priority flood mitigation projects nationwide in Budget 2024.
Raja Nushirwan also said IKK was crucial to raising public awareness of disasters and enhancing national security.
IKK, he added, allowed the government to gather feedback from the public, raise awareness of security matters, as well as foster a consensus on security issues within the nation.
The IKK townhall session addressed the nine key components outlined in the National Security Policy 2021-2025, which included Malaysia’s sovereignty and integrity, socio-political stability, good governance, economic integrity, social justice, sustainable development, public security, and international recognition.
