Jementah assemblyman Ng Kor Sim has called on the authorities to provide assurances about safeguards in place after the recent series of minor earthquakes in Johor.
Ng, who said her constituents had seen first-hand how unpreparedness can fuel anxiety, said the quakes should serve as a reminder that Malaysia needs a stronger culture of national preparedness.
The DAP lawmaker said she was concerned about the response to her queries on several key safety issues which she raised during a dialogue with senior government officials and multiple agencies in Segamat on Wednesday.
Ng said when she asked about public disaster drills, officials only said that one might be conducted in October but provided no information on which agencies would lead it, where it would be held, or if it would be held regularly.
She said that when she asked about school safety, she was told that five schools had reported minor damage, but no confirmation was given that all school buildings had been inspected.
Touching on critical infrastructure, she said the officials provided no assurance that gas pipeline maps or infrastructure schematics had been submitted to the relevant rescue units.
“These are basic questions that the public has every right to expect firm answers to… (but) I am deeply concerned that many of the responses given by the bureaucrats were vague and non-committal,” she said in a statement.
“This does not inspire confidence, and it certainly does not calm the worries of Jementah residents and those elsewhere who continue to live in uncertainty. At a time when clarity is most needed, we should not be content with incomplete or evasive answers.
“Malaysia should not take for granted that it is free from natural disasters. The recent quakes showed how quickly fear and confusion can spread, and how important it is to have systems in place that protect people and reassure them.”
She called for clear protocols, transparent communication, and visible action plans that demonstrate the government’s seriousness in safeguarding the public’s safety during natural disasters.
Ng also said that hospitals must be assessed for their capacity to handle a sudden surge in casualties in the event of disaster.
A 2.9 magnitude earthquake was detected in the Sri Medan area of Parit Sulong, Johor, on Wednesday.
It followed a series of tremors recorded in Segamat since Aug 24: a 4.1 magnitude tremor followed by a 2.8 magnitude tremor the same morning, and others on Aug 27 (3.2), Aug 28 (2.5), Aug 29 (3.4) and Aug 30 (2.7).
A magnitude 2.8 tremor was also recorded in Yong Peng, 28km northwest of Kluang, on Aug 24.
On Wednesday, department of minerals and geoscience director-general Zamri Ramli proposed that the technical committee on earthquakes – which was last active in 2020 – be reactivated to coordinate studies and reassess seismic risks in Malaysia following the recent tremors.
He said the committee, coordinated under the National Disaster Management Agency, could review existing data to support more accurate studies and action plans.
