THE early flood warning system managed by MetMalaysia is still effective in identifying potential floods, the House was told.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said this was seen in the department’s seven-day warning prior to the heavy rain episode in the east coast.
“While there were warnings of heavy rainfall in the region, we did not anticipate it to be as heavy as the one in 2014,” he said in wrapping up the debate on Budget 2025.
Nik Nazmi said among the initiatives under MetMalaysia’s purview was the enhancement of numerical weather prediction models by adopting high-performance computing systems.
“This will enable MetMalaysia to predict weather-related disaster risks up to 14 days in advance, compared to the current seven days.
“It is one of the key inputs for the national flood forecasting model developed by the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, which also includes early warning systems for other disasters such as flash floods, landslides and heatwaves.
“The development of this system is critical and aligns with the primary objectives of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy 2030.
“It includes establishing radar observation networks in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu for more precise and comprehensive weather monitoring,” he added.
On the dissemination of weather forecasting, Nik Nazmi said MetMalaysia has been instructed to ensure the information reaches the public, including the young.
“They have a substantial following on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
“However, given that many young people are active on TikTok, they cannot simply replicate the messaging used for Facebook or Instagram,” he added.Nik Nazmi said MetMalaysia also worked directly with the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) by providing advice and insights on disaster management efforts.
“Additionally, MetMalaysia is part of the National Dry and Hot Weather Committee, offering its expertise when the country faces hot and dry weather conditions,” he said.
The minister clarified that flood mitigation projects involving MetMalaysia did not include infrastructure construction undertaken by the Irrigation and Drainage Department under the supervision of the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry.
