Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has announced that Malaysia is considering the implementation of a smartphone-based emergency warning system to enhance flood preparedness ahead of the Northeast Monsoon (MTL).
The proposed system would complement the existing siren-based alerts, drawing inspiration from similar technologies used in other countries. Fahmi explained, “I will discuss with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) what telecommunication companies can do to aid the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) and the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA).”
The minister emphasised the importance of providing timely, localised warnings to residents in flood-prone areas. “This is to notify the people, especially in a certain area, (which) apart from the flood siren, warnings could be notified by phone, as well as the latest information. We will look into this facility,” he told the media after the Communications Ministry’s Monthly Assembly in Putrajaya.
Fahmi also called for increased preparedness among agencies under his ministry, anticipating the Northeast Monsoon’s potential impact on telecommunications infrastructure. “We should be prepared with equipment in the event of a flood; (must) be quick to mobilise and help,” he said.
The Northeast Monsoon is now expected to arrive earlier than initially forecast. As Fahmi noted, “The country is expected to experience the Northeast Monsoon phenomenon earlier, in the fourth week of this month, compared to the initial forecast of early November. It is expected to bring heavy rain and the risk of floods.”
In a separate matter, Fahmi has tasked various government agencies with helping the public understand Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s upcoming Budget 2025 speech, scheduled for 18 October. “In the recent Cabinet Strategic Communications Committee meeting, we discussed strategies to help the public grasp the essence of the message and announcements that the Prime Minister will present next Friday (18 Oct),” he said.
Present at the assembly were Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, Communications Ministry’s Secretary-General Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, MCMC Managing Director Datuk Mohd Ali Hanafiah Mohd Yunus, Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Chief Executive Officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, and Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj.
