Climate and Environmental Governance: Weathering the storm: The Civil Defence Force and the community’s crucial role in climate preparedness

With the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related disaster situations, the Angkatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia (APM), or Malaysian Civil Defence Force, has seen rising demand for its services in recent years. As climate change worsens, APM is being called upon to respond to a broader range of disasters, including floods, landslides, tropical storms and extreme heat events. These disasters not only endanger public safety but also put a strain on infrastructure, resources and emergency response systems.

By acting as the Secretariat for the Disaster Management Committee at the state and district levels, APM helps Malaysia prepare for future climate-related dangers. APM’s tasks include coordinating disaster response operations, delivering emergency aid to affected areas and raising public awareness about disaster planning and response. The force also works together with other government agencies at all three levels of governance (federal-state-district), non-governmental organisations and foreign partners to increase Malaysia’s disaster risk management systems and improve climate resilience.

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