KUALA LUMPUR: The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES) will propose the development of a drought action plan to the National Disaster Management Council to strengthen preparedness for the phenomenon.
Its minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said the proposal would be submitted for the council’s consideration, so that action plans for floods and droughts could also be developed, in addition to the existing National Haze Action Plan.
"This is something that will be brought to the National Disaster Management Council, so that, apart from an action plan for haze, we will also have action plans for floods and droughts,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Oct 28).
He was responding to a question from Datuk Mumtaz Md Nawi (PN-Tumpat) on the government’s measures in the event of a severe drought or El Nino, including identifying high-risk areas and coordinating efforts among departments, while winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2027 (Budget 2027) at the policy stage, for his ministry.
Earlier, Arthur said that, based on current projections, the strong El Nino phenomenon was expected to intensify to the very strong category between November 2026 and January 2027, and could persist until May 2027.
He added that the phenomenon could bring drier weather and extreme heat between January and May 2027, with maximum temperatures potentially reaching 40 degrees Celsius, particularly in the northern and interior parts of the Peninsula, as well as several interior areas of Sabah and Sarawak.
He said reduced rainfall was also expected, particularly between January and March 2027, with potentially more significant effects in the northern part of the peninsula and Sabah.
In another development, Arthur said the implementation of a carbon tax should be carried out carefully and in stages, once the Climate Change Bill and the Climate Change Authority Bill were passed and gazetted, and their implementation frameworks were operating effectively.
Industry readiness must be taken into account to ensure that the transition to a low-carbon economy would not affect the country’s economic growth.
"NRES continues to provide cooperation and technical input to the Finance Ministry, to ensure that the implementation of any carbon pricing instruments is in line with the country’s climate change policies and commitments,” he said.
Meanwhile, on the issue of transboundary haze, he said that the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) did not currently provide for a specific mechanism for compensation claims between countries.
However, Arthur said the government was open to examining the suitability of other legal mechanisms for compensation and damages, subject to the availability of a legal basis under international law.
"In this regard, a comprehensive study of the economic losses caused by haze, including its effects on public health, productivity and economic activity, is important as a scientific and economic basis for policy consideration and follow-up action,” he said.
Proposals for financial assistance to affected people, particularly gig workers, and the establishment of a haze disaster fund, required further study with the relevant ministries and agencies, taking into account existing assistance mechanisms, actual needs and the government’s financial implications.
The government would also continue to strengthen enforcement cooperation through bilateral and Asean channels, including by promoting the implementation of the polluter pays principle, he said. – Bernama
