River Basin Management Priority In Preparing For Potential La Niña - Akmal Nasrullah

PUTRAJAYA Sept 23 (Bernama) -- The government is prioritising river basin management as a key flood mitigation measure in preparation for a potential La Niña phenomenon early next year.

Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, said this includes the development of infrastructure such as Flood Mitigation Plans, alongside monitoring and early warning systems.

“This is PETRA’s priority through the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS) in the near term... We are continuously monitoring the situation,” he told reporters after officiating the 6th International Conference on Water Resources (ICWR 2025) here today.

Malaysia is expected to face a brief La Niña episode from early winter 2025 until the beginning of 2026, which could potentially impact the country's rainfall patterns.

In a statement on Saturday, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said its long-range weather forecast for September 2025 to February 2026 shows most international climate models predict the current neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phase, with a 56 percent probability, will persist until October next year.

Elaborating on the situation, Akmal Nasrullah said disaster preparedness also involves prioritising maintenance and emergency funding for critical areas.

“Therefore, considering all existing constraints, assessments will be made to determine which agencies should be prioritised in addressing these issues, including in matters of budget allocation,” he said.

Additionally, he called on all parties, including industry players, to collaborate in finding solutions to the country’s water and flood management challenges.

“We need to increase interest and opportunities for private sector involvement… opening the door for those with expertise and technology to contribute more significantly. I believe this serves as a strong incentive for industry growth and opens the door to investments,” he said.

The ICWR 2025 convened experts, stakeholders and policymakers to discuss increasingly critical water resource issues in Malaysia, such as floods, droughts and river pollution.

-- BERNAMA