PUTRAJAYA: The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami tragedy highlighted the urgent need to strengthen commitment and connectivity among Asean countries and the region towards coordination and continued efforts to reduce natural disaster risks, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the National Disaster Management Committee chairman, said it has further highlighted the importance of stakeholders enhancing preparedness, resilience, mitigation and adaptability in facing disasters.
“I attended the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami and Asean Day for Disaster Management at Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, held after the 12th Asean Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM).
“This ceremony recalls the tragic memory of the tsunami that claimed more than 230,000 lives in 14 countries and left a significant disaster impact on communities in South-East Asia and the Indian Ocean region,” he said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported.
He said the event is highly significant as the 2004 tsunami reshaped methods for tackling and managing disaster risks.
At the ceremony yesterday, Ahmad Zahid was accompanied by Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei Datuk Mohd Aini Atan and National Disaster Management Agency director-general Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus.
Prior to the event, Ahmad Zahid and representatives from Asean member countries planted trees as a symbol of enduring recovery efforts and respect for the resilience of the affected communities.
Apart from the Malaysian delegation, the event was also attended by Brunei’s Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Seri Setia Awang Ahmaddin Abdul Rahman.
Brunei serves as the Chair for the 12th AMMDM, held over three days starting Thursday, with the theme “Building a Resilient Asean through Inclusive and Sustainable Disaster Recovery”.
The meeting serves as a forum for exchanging views on various strategic and current issues, as well as discussing the progress and development of programmes under the Asean Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) 2021-2025.
Ahmad Zahid’s participation in the 12th AMMDM reflects Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic relations with Asean countries and enhancing regional resilience against natural disasters while fostering closer ties with Malaysians abroad.
