Address heatwave impacts as sign of climate crisis

WE at Gabungan Darurat Iklim Malaysia (GDIMY) are deeply alarmed by the recent heatwave affecting Malaysia, which has tragically claimed the lives of two children within a single week.

As the sweltering heatwave sweeps across Asia causing record-breaking high temperatures, many recognise this as a stark sign of the climate emergency. With the south-west monsoon and the El Nino weather phenomenon coinciding in the coming months, the situation is expected to worsen.

These events emphasise the urgent necessity to confront and address the climate crisis in Malaysia. We call on the authorities to take the following steps:

> Ensure that heatwave action plans are a national collaborative effort that includes a long-term heatwave response plan, community-based disaster risk reduction and management, as well as mechanisms prioritising human rights and well-being.

> Institutionalise and expand Disaster Resilience Education nationwide.

> Heatwave vulnerability assessments must be prioritised and treated with the same urgency as flood risks. It’s crucial to go beyond merely closing schools; longer-term resilience planning, grounded in human rights, is essential.

> The Federal Government should establish an official database that comprehensively discloses short- and long-term climate change-related impacts on health, such as deaths, injuries, and mental health, as well as property and farmland losses, crop failures, and natural resource degradation among others.

The database should be freely accessible, incorporate gender disaggregated data points, and include records dating back to 2018.

> Expedite the National Adaptation Plan (MyNAP) to address climate impacts effectively to protect and empower vulnerable groups, while developing action plans and roadmaps for mitigation that avoid false solutions.

> Fast-track the Climate Change Act and Disaster Act as legislative tools for rights-based mechanisms in Malaysia.

> Expand redress mechanisms for heatwave victims across judicial and non-judicial avenues.

The government must treat this situation as a visible impact of the climate emergency and acknowledge its human rights implications. We demand a statement from authorities clarifying the situation and outlining the steps being taken to ensure the safety and well-being of our children and our most vulnerable populations in the increasingly warming climate. The time for action is now.

GABUNGAN DARURAT IKLIM MALAYSIA (GDIMY)

This letter is endorsed by the following organisations and individuals:

Organisations:

Alliance of River Three

Cerah Anti-Haze Action Coalition

Dapur Jalanan Kuala Lumpur

Greenpeace Malaysia

Parti Sosialis Malaysia

Persatuan Kesedaran dan Keadilan Iklim Malaysia

Pertubuhan Demokrat Sosial

Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam

Sahabat Alam Malaysia

Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia

Tanjong Bunga Residents' Association

Youths United for Earth

Individuals:

Abdul Azeem Awang

Aishwarya Visvanathab

Amirul Mahmad

Kelly Talha

Kennedy Michael

Khadijah Ahmad Zubaidi

Lei Mohanachandran

Luqman A. Hamid

Mellaney Goh

Muhamad Shukur Suhaimi

Muhammad Ariff Mohamad Nizam

Nandhini

Navin

Ning

Noina Baharuddin

Rachel Tan