PUCHONG: Over 103,000 personnel and 34,000 assets have been placed on standby nationwide as the country braces for the Northeast Monsoon season, expected to begin on Nov 6 and last until March 26 next year.
National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) director-general Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah said the mobilisation involves manpower and assets from all key response and technical agencies under the National Disaster Response Mechanism.
“Our strength this season totals more than 103,000 response personnel and over 34,000 operational assets from Nadma, the police, armed forces, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force, and other agencies.
“Every agency has been placed on high alert to ensure a swift and coordinated response when disasters strike,” he said during a media engagement session on the government’s monsoon preparedness at the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) Base here today.
Abdul Halim said seven modular steel bridges (Bailey bridges) have been procured and pre-positioned in Kelantan, Sarawak and Sabah to enhance logistical capacity in flood-prone regions.
“A total of 49 modular bridges will be available nationwide through Nadma, the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Armed Forces’ Engineering Corps (RAJD).
“Bridges and boats are among the most critical assets for ensuring access to affected areas.
“The focus this year is on pre-deployment of assets rather than reactive movement,” he said.
He said a total of 8,940 temporary evacuation centres (PPS), with a combined capacity of over 2.17 million people, have been identified and placed under the supervision of district disaster committees.
“The highest numbers of PPS are in Johor (1,185 centres), Selangor (1,169) and Kelantan (535), while 15 new permanent disaster relief centres (PPKB) are being built, alongside three upgrading projects, to improve long-term shelter capacity.
“The Welfare Department will manage the centres, supported by local volunteers and community leaders trained under the CBDRM Madani Siaga programme,” he said.
For immediate humanitarian relief, Abdul Halim said 60,000 food kits and 110,000 retort meals (MRE) have been allocated for the monsoon season.
“Of this, 23,600 food kits and 20,570 MREs have already been deployed to state disaster stores under Phase 1 of distribution.
“We’ve prioritised readiness at the ground level, from logistics to evacuation and food supply.
“Every state has received its first batch of pre-positioned aid,” he said.
He said 16 national-level disaster simulation exercises (Table Top and Field Training Exercises) and seven workshops had been conducted throughout 2025 to test readiness and coordination among agencies.
“These included flood, dam, landslide and search-and-rescue simulations in Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Sarawak and Sabah.
“Preparedness is not just about equipment, but also coordination, communication and competence.
“Our aim is to ensure every responding agency can act seamlessly under real conditions,” he said.
According to data from the Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS), there are 3,683 identified flood hotspots nationwide, a reduction from 4,619 last year and 5,648 in 2023.
“However, several high-risk roads and slopes remain under close monitoring, including those in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor, as well as landslide-prone areas such as Gunung Jerai, Cameron Highlands, Kundasang and Kapit.
“Our overall risk landscape shows fewer hotspots, but the potential impact in affected zones can still be severe.
“The key message is, readiness saves lives,” Abdul Halim said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
