KUALA LUMPUR: Both Malaysian and Singaporean authorities will meet next month to review emergency response plans for the Linggiu dam in Johor, says Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) Minister said the meeting is scheduled for Nov 5.
The meeting will involve the Malaysian technical committee led by Petra and Singapore’s Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment.
According to Fadillah, the Linggiu dam falls under the jurisdiction of Singapore's Public Utilities Board (PUB), in line with the 1962 Johor River Water Agreement and its 1990 supplementary agreement.
“We will comprehensively review all necessary measures, including water flow, safety notifications and evacuation zones,” he said during question time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 13).
He was responding to Manndzri Nasib (BN-Tenggara) who asked about steps taken to improve the structural safety and periodic monitoring of the Linggiu dam following the devastating flash floods that struck Nepal recently.
More than 1,400 people lost their lives in the devastating flash floods on Aug 26, with thousands remaining missing.
Fadillah also said Malaysia employs the Malaysian Dam Safety Management guidelines, where the design of each dam must be equipped with an emergency action plan and dam safety emergency plan.
“These guidelines also state that the dam’s owner must have these measures in place,” he said.
He added that the National Dam Centre, formed in 2025, had conducted surveillance on 107 dams managed by Malaysian authorities nationwide.
"The priority is focusing on preventive measures as executing them reduces the risk of disasters," he said.
