PUTRAJAYA: Initiatives are in place to strengthen Malaysia’s preparedness to face disasters, with the Prime Minister reminding responders to ensure that guidelines are followed so that the spread of Covid-19 can be minimised.

       He pointed out that with the monsoon season already afoot, and with Covid-19 still in existence, it is a time of a “disaster within a disaster”.

       “It is important that while responders must act swiftly in rescue exercises and must be effective in managing relief centres, they must be mindful of Covid-19 at all times.

       “To lessen the spread of Covid-19 as best as possible, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and guidelines must be adhered to a tee,” he said at the #DisasterReadyMalaysianFamily programme here yesterday in conjunction with the National Preparedness Month.

       The Prime Minister said that as part of the disaster preparedness initiatives, the National Disaster Management Agency had, among others, come up with a disaster risk reduction policy which spells out what needs to be done before, during, and after a disaster.

       He said the policy is not just about preparing the necessary infrastructure to face such eventualities, but also encompasses preventive actions and lowering risks of disasters.

       The National Risk Register has also been put in place for better understanding of the risks should a disaster occur, and to help the government facilitate its efforts in planning and making informed decisions in line with the objectives of the sustainable development goals.

       The Prime Minister said a community-based disaster risk management is a policy that involves the role of the community in disaster management.

       He added a donation platform known as e-sumbangan has been developed to coordinate the distribution of aid during disasters.

       “It is also important to empower the communities by exposing them to their roles as early responders during a disaster.

       “With these initiatives in place, and by educating the public on the ‘to dos’ during a disaster, dependency on responders and agencies can be lessened should a small or medium-scale disaster occur,” he said.

       Ismail Sabri said the encouragement for the public to embrace the new normal was also a strategy which would help flatten the Covid-19 curve.

       “Civil preparedness must be inculcated in the Malaysian Family. The public must always be prepared, and not just be solely depend on government agencies and non-governmental organisations if there is a disaster,” he added.