YANG di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah today urged the government to prioritise physical security through disaster management for people’s survival.

He said that a more systematic, strategic approach should be immediately implemented by the government to address the effects of natural disasters, especially floods, that occur every year.

The king said the December 16 Batang Kali landslide should be used as a lesson to prevent similar incidents.

“The time has come to ensure the effectiveness of disaster management mechanisms through efficient work coordination,” he said during his royal address at the opening of the 15th parliament’s second session in Kuala Lumpur today.

Thirty-one people were killed in the Batang Kali landslide while 61 survived.

Old disaster management methods that do not benefit or weaken the country’s defence need to be halted immediately, the Agong said.

He said issues concerning illegal immigrants and refugees, including asylum seekers, should be dealt with firmly by the government. 

“Apart from that, the increasing trend of cybercrime is becoming more worrying. For that, law enforcement requires efficient and effective governance and coordination.

“Continuous and integrated efforts must be intensified to ensure the country is protected from any form of threat so Malaysia remains peaceful, prosperous and sovereign,” said His Majesty.

The Agong said Malaysia must continue strengthening cooperation and defence diplomacy with countries regionally and globally to preserve the interests and level of national security. – Bernama, February 13, 2023.