Nga: High-rises must be able to withstand 7.0 tremors
PUTRAJAYA: High-rise buildings constructed since 2016 are able to withstand earthquakes measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale following stringent safety standards put in place.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming (pic) said public safety was a priority of the Madani government.
“Under the present system, buildings, especially high-rise ones, have gone through very stringent safety standards before they can get approval for their development order.
“Since 2016, guidelines on building safety standards come under the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB).
“Their latest guidelines show that multi-high-rise buildings must be able to withstand earthquakes measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale, not 5.0 or 6.0 but 7.0.
“This means that our building standards conform to international standards,” he told a press conference here.
In the last few days, Segamat district in Johor has experience four earthquakes.
An earthquake measuring 3.4 magnitude was detected in the area at 4.24am yesterday.
Segamat recorded one earthquake on Aug 24 and on Aug 27 and 28, with magnitudes ranging between 2.5 and 4.1.
Nga said that random audits will be carried out to ensure that buildings built since 2016 conform to these standards.
“Random audits will be carried out to ensure that buildings that are constructed conform to the Quality Assessment System in Construction or the Qlassix score and standards fixed by CIDB,” he said.
However, he cautioned that Malaysia cannot consider itself as free of earthquakes.
Rather, he said we must use these recent events to raise awareness and encourage people to take preventative measures.
Asked on the safety of buildings built prior to 2016, Nga said they were not designed according to the standards.
“That is why we need the Urban Renewal Act.
“Under the present legal framework, we require 100% consent if we want to demolish and rebuild,” he added.
Following the 6.0 earthquake that struck Ranau, Sabah in 2015, the Malaysian National Annex MS EN 1998-1 (Eurocode 8) was introduced in late 2017.
The code incorporates earthquake-resistant design into new construction for seismic design of buildings and civil engineering structures.
All new government premises built after 2019 are mandated to be earthquake-resistant, reflecting a nationwide commitment to enhancing safety standards.
Johor Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) chairman Lindy Tan said developers consistently engage qualified engineers to design their projects and strictly adhere to national building codes and safety standards set by authorities.
As building safety is a highly technical subject, Tan said it is best addressed by professional engineers who possess the necessary expertise to ensure that structures are safe and robust.
“We rely on the expertise of engineers to navigate the complexities of building design, ensuring that our projects comply with the required safety standards,” she added.
Tan noted that developers remain supportive of the government and professional bodies in their efforts to ensure consistent compliance and enforcement of these standards.
She stressed the importance of collaboration between developers, government entities and engineering professionals in creating a built environment that prioritises safety and resilience.
“By working closely with the authorities and adhering to established guidelines, we can continue to uphold the integrity and safety of our developments, ultimately contributing to the well-being of our communities,” she said.
According to the CIDB and property portals, Malaysia has implemented building codes for earthquake safety through the National Annex to Eurocode 8, which addresses seismic resistance in building structures.
Eurocode 8 provides European standards for designing earthquake-resistant structures, which have been locally adapted to address Malaysia’s specific seismic risks.
While these standards, although comprehensive, aim to ensure buildings can withstand earthquakes, earthquake-resistant designs are not yet mandatory across all building types under the current building code, such as the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974.
Scientific communities, in collaboration with agencies like the Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (Sirim) and Minerals and Geoscience Department (JMG), have produced Seismic Hazard Maps included in the National Annex to MS EN 1998-1:2015, which provides country-specific guidance for earthquake-resistant structural design in Malaysia, detailing Nationally Determined Parameters (NDPs) and supplementary information to the European standard.
These maps aid in the design of structures for earthquake resistance.
According to the Public Works Department (JKR), new buildings are expected to incorporate earthquake-resistant features following changes made to the Uniform Building By-Laws, gazetted on Dec 31, 2021.
However, the enforcement of these by-laws depends on local authorities’ discretion in implementing them.
