Upgrading AHA Centre Key To Boosting ASEAN’s Disaster Preparedness, Says Academic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- ASEAN’s disaster preparedness in facing the uncertainty of global crises can be strengthened through the upgrading of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) to ensure faster and more coordinated response.

Disaster Management Programme Coordinator and Senior Lecturer at the School of Leadership and Resilience, Enforcement Leadership and Management University (ELMU), Dr Rabieahtul Abu Bakar, said there are three key areas of improvement to enhance ASEAN’s disaster management mechanisms — joint training, stronger logistics chains and digitalisation of early warning systems.

She said joint training and interoperability of standard operating procedures (SOP) across borders under the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) and the ASEAN Joint Disaster Response Plan (AJDRP) would enable national agencies, the AHA Centre and international partners to act in unison during actual crises.

“Strengthening the logistics chain through the ‘One ASEAN, One Response’ protocol can reduce response time to hours, particularly when relief providers from one country are incapacitated,” she said on Bernama TV’s ‘Apa Khabar Malaysia’ programme today.

Rabieahtul also said that ASEAN leaders must play a crucial role in advancing disaster management missions through joint policies, with clear mandates and political will under the ‘One ASEAN, One Response’ framework.

“ASEAN leaders also have a responsibility to ensure sustainable resource allocation, drive policy coordination domestically and strengthen data-driven governance,” she said. 

Rabieahtul further stressed the importance of mainstreaming effective risk communication to avoid public misunderstandings during crises, while also gathering information from all levels of society and raising awareness on disaster preparedness.

“We must not be reactive; we need to be proactive. Once we detect early signs, awareness must be created so communities know how to evacuate and where to go before disaster strikes.

“Clear, truthful and transparent risk communication is vital to avoid misinformation that could lead to secondary crises, such as chaos and panic among the public,” she said.

The AHA Centre is an intergovernmental organisation established in 2011 by the 10 ASEAN member states to facilitate cooperation and coordination in disaster management across the region.

-- BERNAMA