KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- The emergency response plan (ERP) for the Linggiu Dam in Johor will be reviewed during a Technical Working Group meeting on Nov 5 to detail safety measures, early warning systems, and population evacuation zones in the event of a disaster.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the review would be conducted through a Technical Committee led by the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) and Singapore’s Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, following an agreement reached on Aug 3 under the 1962 Johor River Water Agreement.
"This entails the preparation of inundation maps and determining how notifications and evacuation zones will be identified should an untoward incident occur," he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Fadillah, who is also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, was responding to a supplementary question from Manndzri Nasib (BN-Tenggara) regarding the early warning plan in the event of a structural failure at the Linggiu Dam when the reservoir is at maximum capacity.
He noted that every dam owner is required to establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) and emergency response plans in accordance with the Malaysian Dam Safety Management Guidelines (MyDAMS) 2017, covering monitoring, inspection, and maintenance measures.
Responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Abdul Khalib Abdullah (PN-Rompin) regarding the readiness of early warning systems at the Linggiu Dam and other major national dams, Fadillah said dam owners must collaborate with the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) to prepare early warning systems and population evacuation plans.
“How do we provide early warnings via telephone, broadcasts, and all other channels so that this information can be conveyed to the public in the event of a disaster?
“What is more important for us right now is to focus on preventive measures. That is crucial because, by implementing preventive measures, we can reduce the risk of disasters occurring,” he said.
-- BERNAMA