Sarawak braces for hot, dry weather as southwest monsoon hits; authorities on high alert for bushfires
Uggah says all divisional and district disaster management committees have been instructed to prepare for the ongoing southwest monsoon phase. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (May 30): The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has forecast hot and dry weather conditions for Sarawak starting from the second week of June, said State Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
The State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman said all divisional and district disaster management committees have been instructed to prepare for the ongoing southwest monsoon phase.
'Bushfires could break out due to the situation,' he cautioned when chairing an SDMC meeting here on Thursday.
He added that the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB), Miri Municipal Council, and other relevant agencies have been placed on high alert, especially in fire-prone areas such as Kuala Baram.
He emphasised the importance of maximising the use of lookout towers and ensuring all tube wells are fully operational.
'The NREB should fly their drones when any signs of smoke are detected there,' he said, while issuing a stern warning to landowners against open burning.
'We will take action against them (landowners) if this happens. In a nutshell, all must be fast and effective in responding to any bushfire occurrences to minimise the impacts and damages,' he said.
On a related note, he revealed that the state cabinet is set to decide whether individuals who refuse to evacuate to flood relief centres will remain eligible for the government's compassionate assistance fund, known as Wang Ihsan.
'They may have their reasons, but we need to establish clear criteria,' he explained.
'For instance, a longhouse may be inaccessible due to flooding and the victims are given food ration – but are they still entitled to receive the financial aid?'
He also disclosed that some 21,000 victims were identified during the last flood event. bushfires douglas uggah embas dry hot weather lead SDMC
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
14 hours ago
- The Sun
RM7 million allocated for drought mitigation in Malaysia's rice granaries
BAGAN SERAI: The government has allocated RM7 million for infrastructure upgrades to minimise drought impact on key rice production areas of Malaysia. Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the focus will be on irrigation systems, the primary water source for crops. 'It is mainly to ensure that the water channels are functioning and can deliver water to the paddy plots, even if the water volume is slightly lower than usual. 'This is also one of our ways to minimise the potential negative effects on farmers' income, especially during drought seasons,' he said after officiating the 2025 Perak State-Level Agricultural Machinery and Equipment handover ceremony at Dewan Dato' Zainal Abidin Zin, here, today. Yesterday, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) issued a statement, indicating that six areas in Peninsular Malaysia are now at Level 1 (alert) for three consecutive days, due to ongoing hot weather. The affected areas include Larut and Matang, Kuala Kangsar, and Perak Tengah in Perak, Machang and Kuala Krai in Kelantan, and Bandar Baharu in Kedah. In a separate matter, Arthur said that his ministry will strengthen collaboration with relevant enforcement agencies to combat cattle smuggling activities from Thailand, which are believed to threaten the country's food security. He said enforcement actions against individuals involved in unethical activities are under the jurisdiction of the respective state governments. 'Therefore, a comprehensive engagement session between state and federal governments is essential, to harmonise laws and prevent conflicts which could undermine the nation's food biosecurity,' he said. He added that one of the main factors contributing to smuggling activities, particularly during festive seasons, is the high demand for beef, coupled with the sector's self-sufficiency level (SSL) still falling short of the targeted benchmark.
Daily Express
14 hours ago
- Daily Express
RM7 million allocated for drought mitigation in Malaysia's rice granaries
Published on: Tuesday, June 03, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jun 03, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Arthur said the focus will be on irrigation systems, the primary water source for crops. Bagan Serai: The government has allocated RM7 million for infrastructure upgrades to minimise drought impact on key rice production areas of Malaysia. Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the focus will be on irrigation systems, the primary water source for crops. 'It is mainly to ensure that the water channels are functioning and can deliver water to the paddy plots, even if the water volume is slightly lower than usual. 'This is also one of our ways to minimise the potential negative effects on farmers' income, especially during drought seasons,' he said after officiating the 2025 Perak State-Level Agricultural Machinery and Equipment handover ceremony at Dewan Dato' Zainal Abidin Zin, here, today. Yesterday, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) issued a statement, indicating that six areas in Peninsular Malaysia are now at Level 1 (alert) for three consecutive days, due to ongoing hot weather. The affected areas include Larut and Matang, Kuala Kangsar, and Perak Tengah in Perak, Machang and Kuala Krai in Kelantan, and Bandar Baharu in Kedah. In a separate matter, Arthur said that his ministry will strengthen collaboration with relevant enforcement agencies to combat cattle smuggling activities from Thailand, which are believed to threaten the country's food security. He said enforcement actions against individuals involved in unethical activities are under the jurisdiction of the respective state governments. 'Therefore, a comprehensive engagement session between state and federal governments is essential, to harmonise laws and prevent conflicts which could undermine the nation's food biosecurity,' he said. He added that one of the main factors contributing to smuggling activities, particularly during festive seasons, is the high demand for beef, coupled with the sector's self-sufficiency level (SSL) still falling short of the targeted benchmark. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Sun
14 hours ago
- The Sun
RM7m allocated for drought mitigation in Malaysia's rice granaries
BAGAN SERAI: The government has allocated RM7 million for infrastructure upgrades to minimise drought impact on key rice production areas of Malaysia. Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the focus will be on irrigation systems, the primary water source for crops. 'It is mainly to ensure that the water channels are functioning and can deliver water to the paddy plots, even if the water volume is slightly lower than usual. 'This is also one of our ways to minimise the potential negative effects on farmers' income, especially during drought seasons,' he said after officiating the 2025 Perak State-Level Agricultural Machinery and Equipment handover ceremony at Dewan Dato' Zainal Abidin Zin, here, today. Yesterday, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) issued a statement, indicating that six areas in Peninsular Malaysia are now at Level 1 (alert) for three consecutive days, due to ongoing hot weather. The affected areas include Larut and Matang, Kuala Kangsar, and Perak Tengah in Perak, Machang and Kuala Krai in Kelantan, and Bandar Baharu in Kedah. In a separate matter, Arthur said that his ministry will strengthen collaboration with relevant enforcement agencies to combat cattle smuggling activities from Thailand, which are believed to threaten the country's food security. He said enforcement actions against individuals involved in unethical activities are under the jurisdiction of the respective state governments. 'Therefore, a comprehensive engagement session between state and federal governments is essential, to harmonise laws and prevent conflicts which could undermine the nation's food biosecurity,' he said. He added that one of the main factors contributing to smuggling activities, particularly during festive seasons, is the high demand for beef, coupled with the sector's self-sufficiency level (SSL) still falling short of the targeted benchmark.
