KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia must have a disaster risk reduction action plan, strategy and programmes coherent with global instruments to achieve universal aspirations outlined in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob stressed the need for Malaysia to continue mainstreaming or integrating an action plan, strategy and programmes involving disaster risk reduction into the national development agenda.
Disaster risk reduction strategy and programmes, he said, must be mainstreamed in all important sectors in the country such as development, education and health.
"Development disaster risk reduction action plan, strategy and programmes must also be coherent with global instruments such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and Paris Agreement for Climate Change.
"This is to ensure Malaysia's critical role in achieving the aspirations as outlined in the SDGs," he said in his speech during an online seminar titled "Disaster Risk in a Climate Change Era".
Organised by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), the webinar involved participations from the Science and Technology Panel Expert for Disaster Risk Reduction (STEP).
The panel expert is an advisory group to Nadma on applying science and technology in disaster risk management.
"Using science and technology approach is important for us to integrate disaster risk reduction strategy to adapt with climate change," he said.
Communication, education and public awareness, said Ismail Sabri, must continue to be carried out and are the key to nurturing a collective responsibility culture.
"We are aware that there are disasters which cannot be avoided. However, we can reduce the impact or the result of disasters through the implementation of disaster risk reduction initiatives.
"I look at disasters not only from the damages brought about by such incidents ... there is also a positive side from which we can learn lessons so we are better prepared and resilient when there is a disaster in future.
"This can be achieved through Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) that I had shared when I unveiled the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) last month," he said.
The government, he said, viewed seriously the impacts of climate change and increase in occurrences of future disasters.
He said this was reflected when the government included strategy on advancing green growth for sustainability and resilience in 12MP.
Ismail Sabri also commended Nadma for efforts undertaken by the agency in the preparation of the National Risk Register (NRR) aimed at creating awareness and understanding the risk of disasters in Malaysia.
The document, which is being prepared by Nadma and its strategic partner - Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's South East Asia Disaster Prevention Research Initiative (SEADPRI-UKM), will be launched by Ismail Sabri on Oct 28.
"This is a good effort to create awareness among our Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) on the importance of disaster management in the country, types of disasters and follow-up actions as references for stakeholders for the purpose of planning and mapping, monitoring, development of early predication systems, prevention, mitigation and risk reduction strategies."