Pahang

Pahang is the third largest state by land area in Malaysia and the largest in Peninsular Malaysia. The state encompasses the Pahang River basin, originating at the confluence of Jelai and Tembeling rivers on the Titiwangsa Mountains and draining into the South China Sea. Cities in Pahang include Kuantan (the state capital, on the eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia) and Temerloh (the mid-point between Kuala Lumpur and the eastern coast). Pahang’s economy relies on several industries, such as timber, oil palm, fishing, and tourism. 

In December 2014 and January 2015, Pahang experienced significant flooding along the river basin between Temerloh and Pekan, resulting in the evacuation of approximately 29,000 people and significant property damage. 

Using the 1971 and 2014-15 Pahang floods as case studies, what have federal, state, and local governments and civil society learned from previous responses to flood disasters, and what actions have been taken to ensure better flood management capabilities in the future?

SUBQUESTIONS

  • What factors led to successful organizational learning between the 1971 and 2014-2015 floods?
  • What changes have taken place, including improved communication, education, insurance schemes and more efficient allocation of federal and state resources?
  • What approaches to managing urban and flash flood events (ie. kuala lumpur and johor bahru) might be applicable to rural and peri-urban flood management practices?
  • To what extent does state-designated land use and zoning take into account flood risks in low-lying areas?

Themes

Disaster Response, Flood, Resilience, multi-level governance

Background

Malaysia has a history of periodic flooding, with the central-east state of Pahang often the worst affected. The last two significant flood events in the state have been the 1971 and 2014-15 floods. The 1971 Malaysian flood left more than 38,000 people homeless in Pahang, with several towns running critically short of food supplies. The more recent floods of 2014-15, which lasted for a total of 23 days, resulted in the evacuation of more than 29,000 people and significant damage to property. In both cases, disaster management and rescue operations were managed by federal, state and local government, with help from civil society actors. Ideally, agencies should support each other; however, lack of coordination and communication among agencies has sometimes led to gaps or redundancy in rescue and relief efforts.

Some key challenges in flood disaster response in Pahang include:

  • Inadequate water and air transportation
  • Water level monitoring and timely communication
  • Quality, siting and number of evacuation centers
  • Flooding extending beyond district and state jurisdiction

It is unclear to what extent learning from earlier floods, such as the 1971 case, has been used to better manage the recent floods of 2014-15 and strengthen disaster response capabilities. These lessons range from changes in standard procedures and better coordination, to more efficient allocation of resources to meet recovery needs. For example, use of social media by district governments to communicate flood and evacuation information in the 2014-15 floods demonstrates one way in which the government has worked to improve disaster management in the state.

With significant efforts focused on disaster response, the impact of land-use and zoning on flood risk may have been neglected. Zoning maps appear not to designate and plan for low-lying zones. Altering land-use and zoning designations to better reflect flood risk might be explored as a potential lesson from past flood events in Pahang.

Research Design

This research would require a comparative study of the 1971 and 2014-15 floods in Pahang, including the extent of the flooding, affected populations, economic, social and environmental costs and an assessment of flood preparedness and response in each case. Through an in-depth study of existing and past disaster management plans and protocols, accompanied by interviews with relevant federal, state, local level agencies and victims, a researcher should be able to develop an in-depth understanding of local and regional disaster management capabilities, and document what was learned between the 1971 and 2014-15 floods. which may have led to meaningful improvements in rescue and relief efforts on the ground as well as to longer-term flood resilience.

Discussion

Seasonal floods are a distinct category of natural disaster with a relatively high degree of predictability. Flood-prone areas are often well known because they have a history of flooding; this provides a unique opportunity to improve flood preparedness and response through a study of past flood events and response. There is a high potential for cross-cutting learning from flood management and response in Pahang that might be applied in flood-prone areas in other developing countries, including those with limited resources.

Potential Partners

  • Temerloh District and Land Office (Pejabat Daerah dan Tanah Temerloh) – Responsible for flood disaster response at the local level.
  • National Disaster Management Agency – New agency formed under the Prime Minister’s Department and in charge of managing natural disasters.
  • UKM LESTARI Institute – http://www.ukm.my/lestari/en/

What social, architectural, and agricultural practices have communities used to increase their resilience to flood risks, and to what extent have government agencies incorporated these practices into formal flood management efforts?

SUBQUESTIONS

  • To what extent is the government working to build flood response capabilities within communities, in addition to pursuing a top-down approach?
  • How have local residents been trained, organized and involved in flood management?

Themes

Resilience, disaster response

Background

Communities in Pahang faced river flooding long before the government developed its formal flood disaster response system of evacuation centers and multi-level governmental communication. These communities bootstrapped strategies for managing the impact of flooding. For example, houses were built on stilts, protecting the second story (where people spent most of their time) from flooding. Communities planted certain crops in upland area in order to have a food source in case the lowland areas flooded. They also developed social arrangements to support community members in times of flooding.

It is unclear which of these strategies have persisted as the government has strengthened its disaster response capabilities. Stilted houses, for instance, have been largely replaced by “modern” houses in which people live on the ground floor. The local government’s flood disaster response practices focus on moving people to evacuation centers during floods. There does not seem to be an emphasis on building the capacity within communities to cope with flooding.

Research Design

A researcher could try to answer the question of what practices communities have historically used to increase their flood resilience and whether these practices persist today. An architectural historian could visit several kampungs (for instance, a rural area, an Orang Asli settlement, and a more urban area) to evaluate the types of houses that have been built (and determine how many are on stilts or employ other flood prevention measures). They could also assess, either through observation or interviews, whether the newer houses have the same features as older ones.

An anthropologist or sociologist could approach this question from a different perspective by focusing on the social arrangements that communities have adopted to cope with flooding. Through semi-structured interviews with community members including fishermen in several kampungs, a researcher could develop an understanding of the flood prevention and coping strategies each community has employed over time. This could be supplemented with interviews with district level officials in the Temerloh District to determine if any of these strategies have been integrated into formal flood management practices, or if the government is considering supporting any community-level flood prevention efforts, in addition to their top-down efforts. in several kampungs, a researcher could develop an understanding of the flood prevention and coping strategies each community has employed over time. This could be supplemented with interviews with districtlevel officials in the Temerloh District to determine if any of these strategies have been integrated into formal flood management practices, or if the government is considering supporting any community-level flood prevention efforts, in addition to their top-down efforts.

Discussion

Recognizing traditional methods of addressing natural disasters and integrating them into government practice can help communities become better equipped to cope with and bounce back from disasters. The practices that communities in Pahang have used to address flooding could be applied to other areas in Malaysia or even to parts of the developing world that face flooding.

Potential Partners

  • Temerloh District and Land Office (Pejabat Daerah dan Tanah Temerloh) – Responsible for flood disaster response at the local level.
  • National Disaster Management Agency – New agency formed under the Prime Minister’s Department and in charge of managing natural disasters.
  • Penghulu Jamaluddin – Local leader with connections in villages near Temerloh. Also manages a flood evacuation center.

Additional Contacts

  • Dr. Tej Kumar Karki – 2015-2016 MCSP scholar working on issues related to flood prevention and response and land use in the Johor Bahru region.
  • UKM LESTARI Institute

Based on a study of community cooperatives such as the Temerloh and Ulu Palai, what institutions, information, technical resources, funding sources, and/or policy incentives turn out to be most important in decision-making about the use of local wetlands?

SUBQUESTIONS

  • What land uses and supporting policies might produce ecological, social, and economic benefits for communities considering conversion of national ecosystems to mono-cultural agricultural production?
  • Are agro-tourism or eco-tourism viable income generation alternatives as compared to monoculture?
  • To what extent has ecosystem services, particularly flood mitigation benefits, of intact wetlands been quantified and integrated into community decision-making processes?

Themes

Governance, economic development, ecosystem services

Background

Across Malaysia, conversion of natural ecosystems to mono-cultural agricultural and industrial production is being carried out by a number of institutional actors, including large corporate land managers, smallholders, and community cooperatives. In the instance of community–controlled resources, some cooperatives have invested in draining and converting natural wetlands to oil palm production, while others have employed alternative strategies such as ecotourism in order to generate local revenue while leaving the ecosystem relatively intact.

In the case of the Temerloh cooperative, community members reached a decision to petition the state government for the right to drain a local wetland, convert the land to oil palm production, and develop an income sharing approach to generating wealth for all local cooperative members. In the case of Ulu Palai, community members also formed an income-sharing cooperative, deciding to use the local mangrove resource as an ecotourism attraction, proposing the development of floating lodging and a boardwalk for tours through the mangroves.

Interrogating these varied approaches to local economic development, this research should explore the variety of community institutions, information, technical resources, funding sources, and policy incentives that influence community decision-making about the use of local wetland resources.

Research Design

Understanding the drivers and dynamics of community decision-making around land use can be used to inform public policy seeking to support both rural economic development and ecological conservation. Through a comparative case study of the Temerloh and Ulu Palai cooperatives, this research could reveal some of the many factors contributing to important land use decisions by communitymanaged resources.

In order to capture community interests, a researcher could complete interviews with community leaders, cooperative managers, and individual community members involved in the cooperatives and the specific decision-making process used by these two projects.

A Bahasa Malaysia-speaking researcher or research assistant willl be required for some interviews, especially with Kampung residents (but such help is available through UTM or another university). Ideally the interviews would be recorded for future reference, although the researcher should respect the wishes of each interviewee regarding confidentiality. The researcher should also aim to interview a large cross-section of residents to survey a varied set of perspectives. The interviews should be open-ended, although it might be helpful to use standardized questions in order to better compare responses from disparate groups.

Discussion

For rural communities across Malaysia and the tropics, identifying sustainable economic development strategies will be critical for improving community livelihood, as well as increasing resilience to climate change. Viable alternatives to extractive industries, policy incentives, and appropriate technical support for community-based management decisions must be identified and scaled to support local economic development that both generates income and protects critical ecosystems.

Potential Partners

  • Temerloh Cooperative
  • Ulu Palai Cooperative
  • UKM LESTARI Institute
  • Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) – funded and has helped develop the ecotourism project in the Ulu Palai cooperative
  • Penghulu Jamaluddin – local leader with connections in villages near Temerloh. Interested in community economic development strategies.

An anthropologist or sociologist could approach this question from a different perspective by focusing on the social arrangements that communities have adopted to cope with flooding. Through semi-structured interviews with community members including fishermen in several kampungs, a researcher could develop an understanding of the flood prevention and coping strategies each community has developed.