KUALA LUMPUR: A series of minor earthquakes in Johor has highlighted the low level of public awareness on seismic risks in Malaysia, disaster management expert Raja Segaran Kuppusamy said.
The former head engineer for disaster risk reduction at the United Nations’ International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Iraq said many Malaysians still assume the country is immune to earthquakes, even as shifting tectonic plates alter local geological conditions.
“People don’t believe earthquakes can happen here. They think only of floods, haze and landslides. But when tremors struck Johor, they were shocked. This shows awareness is still very limited,” he told Bernama.
He said that although Malaysia lies outside the Pacific Ring of Fire, it is increasingly affected by the active Sunda plate. Tremors in Johor should be treated as early warning signs, as stronger quakes could trigger landslides, floods, tsunamis and severe damage to roads, bridges and high-rise buildings.
Raja Segaran urged a more holistic approach at state, district and grassroots levels to raise awareness, citing Middle Eastern countries where governments practise ‘communication with communities’ to share early warnings.
Japan and China, he added, have built resilience through decades of experience and close cooperation between authorities and citizens.
He said that natural disasters can’t be avoided, but deaths and damage can be reduced with preparedness, awareness and stronger building standards.
“If we fail to implement prevention, mitigation and preparedness plans now, the risk of bigger disasters such as tsunamis, landslides and stronger quakes will rise in the future,” he noted.
He also stressed the need to integrate seismic considerations into building design, pointing out that many engineers still overlook them on the assumption that Malaysia is safe.
“Thankfully the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) now requires all stakeholders to adopt safety design standards that can protect lives during quakes and tsunamis,” he said.
Johor has experienced at least eight tremors over the past week, including a 4.1 magnitude quake in Segamat on Aug 24 and a 2.9 magnitude tremor near Sri Medan, Parit Sulong, on Sept 3.– Bernama
