Nadma Must Lead Malaysia's El Niño Preparedness, Says Susden Malaysia | Climate Resilience

Malaysia's National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) has been tasked with coordinating national preparedness for El Niño conditions expected to persist through 2027. The Sustainable Development Network Malaysia (Susden Malaysia) argues that preparedness must go beyond emergency response to address root causes like open burning, waste mismanagement, and deforestation. The group calls for stronger enforcement of existing bans on open burning and better maintenance of green spaces to reduce disaster risks. The statement emphasizes three climate priorities: cutting greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors, minimizing waste generation, and conserving forests and natural carbon sinks. Susden also highlights the need for better public transport funding, professional arboriculture for shade trees, and transparent investigations into environmental incidents like fish kills. The piece links declining water quality in rivers like the Pahang to rising fish mortality rates among cage farmers, from 5-20% in the 1990s to 60-80% today, threatening food security. Susden urges all levels of government and society to participate actively in climate resilience efforts, warning that environmental degradation directly impacts food production and public health. The group stresses that El Niño preparedness is a shared national responsibility, not just Nadma's alone.