Despite the sweltering weather in Malaysia, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that the government has no immediate plans to declare the heatwave an emergency. However, he added that the government is prepared to do so if necessary. This decision was made after a National Disaster Management Committee meeting, which Ahmad Zahid chaired.
“For now, we don’t think there is a need for an emergency to be declared. But if need be, we will issue Directive 20 of the National Security Council for an emergency to be called,” Ahmad Zahid was quoted as saying by The Star.
Directive 20 provides guidelines on managing disasters in Malaysia and covers prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery should such an event occur. Current weather conditions are expected to last until September, with temperatures potentially reaching above 40…
