PUTRAJAYA: The government is ready to declare the current heatwave an emergency, says deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“Not yet, but we are ready.
“We are using the National Security Council’s (MKN) Directive No. 20 to implement measures to overcome this.
“We are monitoring (the heatwave) 24 hours a day. If there is an emergency, we will make an announcement. For now … not yet,” he said after chairing a central disaster management committee meeting today.
Zahid said cloud seeding will be done immediately to increase water level at seven dams.
MKN’s Directive No. 20 is a disaster management mechanism which outlines roles and responsibilities of disaster management committees at the federal, state, and district levels.
The meteorological department (MetMalaysia) yesterday issued a level one heatwave alert for eight districts in Peninsular Malaysia after daily temperatures there hovered between 35°C and 37°C for at least three consecutive days.
The districts are Pekan, Bera and Rompin in Pahang; Segamat and Muar in Johor; Pasir Mas and Kuala Krai in Kelantan; and Padang Terap in Kedah.
