No plans to declare emergency yet despite current hot spell, says Zahid

PUTRAJAYA: There are no immediate plans to declare an emergency despite the current hot spell, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the government, however, is ready to do so if the situation warrants it.

“We have put in place proactive and preventive measures to face the heatwave.

“For now, we don’t think there is a need for an emergency to be declared. But if need be, we will issue Directive 20 of the National Security Council for an emergency to be called,” he said after chairing the National Disaster Management Committee meeting on Tuesday (May 16).

The Deputy Prime Minister was asked on calls made by the Climate Emergency Coalition of Malaysia, which wants the government to treat the current high temperatures as impacts of a climate emergency.

The coalition also wants the government to come up with heatwave action plans and conduct vulnerability assessments in a bid to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the people.

Ahmad Zahid said the current weather conditions will last until September and temperatures are expected to reach above 40°C in August.

Asked if an emergency would be declared then, he said authorities were monitoring the situation.

“If there is going to be an emergency, we will announce it accordingly. For now, not yet,” he added.