KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is bracing for a severe, extended dry spell with temperatures soaring to 37.5°C, as the government warns that extreme heat and water shortages are expected to persist until at least June.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup confirmed that the country has officially entered a high-risk weather phase.
Despite recent intervention efforts, he warned that the most challenging months are still to come.
"We expect to have very dry months ahead - April and May, and possibly until June. We are now noting temperatures rising even higher.
“We have already been informed of temperatures reaching approximately 37.5°C, and we are monitoring the situation closely,” he told reporters when met at the soft opening of International Sustainability Week 2026 (ISW 2026) here on Tuesday (April 14).
The heatwave, driven by the current monsoon transition, has already begun to deplete vital water reserves, he said.
While the government recently conducted a first round of cloud seeding across Kedah, Perlis, Perak, Melaka and Johor, Arthur admitted that the results have not yet provided a definitive solution to the looming water crisis.
"There has been rainfall. However, one of the key measures is to see whether there has been a rise in the water dam levels, and it hasn’t actually reached the target that we wanted," he said.
With dam levels remaining a primary concern, he revealed that a second round of cloud seeding operations has been requested for next week, with a specific focus on the southern states of Johor and Melaka.
Beyond the immediate threat of water scarcity, Arthur also raised the alarm regarding air quality, adding that the prolonged lack of rain significantly increases the risk of "transboundary haze."
He said the ministry is prepared to engage with neighbouring countries to mitigate the environmental impact if the dry spell continues to worsen.
"We will be issuing more guidelines as the weeks progress. We are hoping to take any mitigative steps... we will monitor and will be issuing warnings and guidelines," the Minister added.
