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This updated Malaysia Disaster Management Reference Handbook provides a baseline of understanding of factors that influence disaster management within the country. Located in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is divided in two geographic parts: Peninsular Malaysia in the west and East Malaysia on the northwestern part of Borneo Island. It is a member-state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Malaysia lies outside of the “Ring of Fire” and of historical tropical cyclone paths and, thus, is at relatively lower risk for earthquakes and direct hits by cyclones, though these events still sometimes occur. The country much more frequently grapples with floods, storms, landslides, heatwaves, and droughts. By far, floods are the most frequently occurring disaster, and the country is experiencing more extreme weather that brings heavy rainfall and leads to floods as climate change influences precipitation patterns.

The handbook details that Malaysia’s economy has grown and developed dramatically in the last half century. It has diversified away from agriculture and commodities and now includes strong manufacturing and services sectors. Openness to trade and foreign investment have played a role in how Malaysia’s economy has grown. A key investment that has powered the country’s growth is infrastructure development with the country’s ports providing critical transshipment and import-export hubs for the region writ large. Moreover, Malaysia’s keystone role in the region is bolstered by its investment in energy trade and infrastructure, and the country is connected to neighbors by electricity networks.