KUALA LUMPUR: The government is seeking funding for drone-operated cloud seeding as hotter and drier conditions make such operations increasingly necessary, says Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup.
He said Malaysia currently lacks dedicated assets for cloud seeding, which has traditionally been treated as a seasonal operation.
“But because of climate change, global warming and transboundary haze, we are looking at regular cloud-seeding measures,” he told reporters at the Concorde Club yesterday.
The session, chaired by Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, discussed the topic “Haze, Heat & Hope”.
Kurup said relying repeatedly on Royal Malaysian Air Force assets under the National Disaster Management Agency was costly, prompting the ministry to explore newer technologies.
“So if we look at new technology, drone-operated cloud seeding, those are some of the things that we propose.”
He said a single cloud-seeding operation costs about RM100,000 on average, with a success rate of about 50% to 70%, depending on wind direction and humidity.
Cloud seeding is used to reduce particulate matter in the air and to raise water levels at catchment areas and dams, he added.
The proposal forms part of the ministry’s broader Budget 2027 wishlist, which also includes a larger allocation for the Ecological Fiscal Transfer (EFT) and funds to improve mapping of Malaysia’s rare earth deposits.
Kurup said a bigger EFT allocation would allow states to determine their own conservation priorities, including forest replanting, plant research and wildlife corridors.
“I’m hoping that we can get more so that it’s a bottom-up approach where the state actually determines what their priorities are.”
On rare earths, Kurup said Malaysia needed more accurate data on the location of deposits to better attract foreign investors.
He said the country is yet to develop its own rare earth processing technology and would need technology transfer from other countries.
The push comes as Malaysia braces for worsening hot and dry conditions, with Kurup warning that “the worst is yet to come”.
He said the conditions were expected to persist until mid next year due to the expected Super El Nino, prolonged dry periods and higher temperatures.
Kurup said the government had begun assessing the economic impact across water, energy and agriculture.
He added that higher temperatures could drive up energy use as more people rely on air-conditioning, while agriculture could face lower yields and higher costs to keep farms operating.
“No estimate at the moment, but we can provide a report as details come in,” he said.
The Concorde Club is an informal gathering of senior editors and journalists from local and foreign media organisations to discuss current affairs and national issues with politicians and policymakers.
