ABU DHABI: Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are currently exploring potential collaborations between Malaysia’s National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) and UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA).
NCEMA is the UAE’s leading authority under the Supreme Council for National Security with extensive expertise in crisis management across sectors.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said UAE’s experience in handling complex disaster challenges offers invaluable insights as the government work to strengthen Malaysia’s disaster preparedness.
“As the Chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, I see this as a good added value for Malaysia to learn crisis management practices like the UAE. Through the right strategic steps, we can increase resilience to better protect communities and infrastructure.
“Today I learned about disaster management and the most important thing is how the system implemented (by UAE) uses the latest technology,“ he told reporters after a visit to NCEMA headquarters here, today.
According to Ahmad Zahid, there are similarities between the two countries where Malaysia has committees at national, state and district levels, which are almost the same as UAE.
“The most important thing is how the coordination and immediate actions are done. We learn that artificial intelligence (AI) technology could provide an analysis of a crisis,“ he said.
On Wednesday, the Deputy Prime Minister held a meeting with the UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, in conjunction with his seven days official visit to the Gulf country beginning yesterday, which focused on various cooperation, particularly in disaster management.
Adding further, Ahmad Zahid said NADMA has forwarded several proposals to enhance Malaysia’s disaster management capabilities, including through Earth Observation (EO) using satellite imagery to gather critical data on weather patterns, sea levels, and environmental conditions, providing early warnings of potential disasters.
NADMA has also proposed High Altitude Platform System (HAPS), where it utilise drones and high altitude balloons to capture high-resolution, real-time data for improved situational awareness in affected areas.
The agency also proposed leveraging AI technology to predict disasters based on historical data, enabling early warnings, disaster type forecasting, and logistical planning, as well as Specialized Disaster Response Vehicles, drawing lessons from the UAE’s use of advanced vehicles in disaster management for more effective and swift responses.
“This collaboration will strengthen our joint efforts in providing disaster relief to neighbouring countries, including Indonesia and the Philippines. Recently, we deployed an EC725 helicopter from the Royal Malaysian Air Force, along with a 16-member crew, to support the Philippines in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Trami,” he said.
Additionally, Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia actively participated in the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) in the Philippines and the 12th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM) in Brunei to strengthen regional disaster risk management frameworks.
Beyond disaster management, Ahmad Zahid said the meeting also explored opportunities for collaboration in the halal sector, including certification and expanding halal trade potential.
“Additionally, we discussed initiatives to advance renewable energy efforts in Malaysia and explored cooperation in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector to enhance workforce skills and facilitate knowledge exchange.
“These high-potential collaborations will strengthen Malaysia-UAE bilateral relations, elevating our partnership to new heights and laying a solid foundation for shared growth and sustainable development,” he added.
