CYBERJAYA, Jan 6 (Bernama) — The Communications and Multimedia Ministry will table to the cabinet tomorrow, a proposed support plan to boost national preparedness, especially with regard to the telecommunication systems, in facing natural disasters.
Its minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said such a support plan was necessary, especially when the telecommunication services collapsed due to a disaster like flood.
“If a whole area experiences power supply disruption (during a disaster), we may be able to use ham radios but there must be a system to run it and so on,” he told reporters after launching the Multimedia Development Corporation’s (MDec) community initiative, “BersamaMu” (TogetherWithU), here, today.
Therefore, he said, cooperation between the ministry and all related parties would be established towards activating the support plan in the event of the service providers’ paralysed telecommunication systems due to a disaster.
“This is among the plans that we need to discuss – what is plan A, B and C, because disasters can occur in various forms and at any time, but what is important is our preparedness in facing it,” he said.
Ahmad Shabery said preparedness in facing disasters should also be stepped up, especially with regard to the emergency response system so that the victims in a crisis situation could be assisted speedily.
“We are now only at the emergency management level such as the Malaysian Emergency Response System (MERS) 999 call system and we don’t have yet the telecommunications management system in coping with disasters.
“So, there is a need for us to build a new system in managing disasters through the existing telecommunication systems.”
On the rampant spreading of rumours and false information through the social media, Ahmad Shabery regarded the perpetrators as the country’s number one enemy.
“Perhaps this is the best time for the Communications and Multimedia Commission to review the existing relevant law because in facing a disaster, among the biggest enemies are the disseminators of false information and malicious rumour mongers,” he said.
— BERNAMA
