On 12 and 13 October 2019, a group of researchers from MJIIT/UTM Disaster Program and its partner members organized a series of community based DRR event in Pasir Gudang, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Some of these partners included, Johor Bahru State Government, National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA), Fire and Rescue Department (BOMBA), Civil Defense Force (APM), Malaysian Society for Occupational Safety & Health (MSOSH), MERCY Malaysia and District Office of Johor Bahru & Pasir Gudang Municipal Council.

On the 12th, DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL TRAINING was organized by MSOSH as a result of the courtesy call to the Director General of Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Human Resources, YBhg. Dato’ Ir. Mohtar Bin Musri (https://mjiit.utm.my/dppc/2019/10/04/courtesy-call-to-department-of-occupational-safety-and-health-malaysia/). The training was participated by around 50 representatives of the regional industry as well as experts from UTM, JICA, BOMBA, UiTM and local NGOs. From UTM, Dr. Shohei Matsuura of JICA/DPPC/MJIIT delivered a talk on the Japanese experiences in industrial/technological disasters and Natech, while Dr Khamarul Azahari Razak provided some insights and way forward to take enhanced measures to DRR and OSH issues in Malaysia.

A joint DRR event with Johor Bahru State Government and the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) on the occasion of the International Day for DRR (13th October) was held with over 800 participants from local government department/agencies, universities/research institutes, NGOs, community leaders, schoolteachers and students. The event was officiated by Dr. Sahruddin bin Jamal, Chief Minister, Azmi Rohani, State Secretary, Dato’ Mohtar Bin Mohd Abd Rahman, Director General of NaDMA, Prof. Datuk Ir. Dr. Wahid bin Omar, Vice-Chancellor of UTM and Colonel Mat Zin Bujang, Director of Civil Defense Force (APM).

After the officiating by the Chief Minister, Director General Mohtar gave an opening statement to encourage reducing risks instead of waiting to respond to disaster, providing the example from Japan that was affected by mega typhoon Hagisis just the night before the event. BOMBA officer, PgB Lokman Hakim Sulaiman, who headed the HAZMAT team during the Kim Kim River pollution supported the note by mentioning “Prevention is better than cure.”

Dr. Shohei Matsuura, in front of 100 schoolteachers and students, shared an example of school-based DRR from Japan in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture where about 3,000 students were able to save their own lives from the 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami through DRR education, evacuation drills and strong community linkages that had been established before the disaster event. In addition, a survey for Climate Disaster Resilience Index (CDRI), developed by Kyoto University was conducted with 100 residents of Pasir Gudang for future research and activities.

On 17 September, the 4th year of Master of Disaster Risk Management (MDRM) Program started with introductory lecture from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Shohei Matsuura, JICA Expert on the short history of MJIIT’s DRM program and MDRM. This was followed by a series of lectures by Prof. Emeritus of Yamanashi University and Founding Director of ICHARM, Kuniyoshi Takeuchi on the basic concepts of disaster risk and global trends in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM).

The MDRM program is suitable for working professionals in the field of environmental and disaster management who wants to further develop their professional knowledge and skills in DRRM as well as aspiring students who wish to become future leaders in the field of DRRM. The program offers lectures and activities offered by prominent Malaysian and Japanese experts, together with all-sponsored 2-week Japan Attachment program.

• Why choose MDRM?

-Transdisciplinary approach to DRRM

MDRM offers a comprehensive and unique set of academic and practical knowledge and skills in DRRM that is not available elsewhere; similar programs only offer contents that are confined in a single discipline (e.g. civil engineering, social science, medical). MDRM program is offered in a module courses that includes both technical (e.g. flood modeling and forecasting) and policy (e.g. CBDRR, recovery planning) issues. Program like MDRM can only be implemented by a team comprised of experts from various fields that understands the importance of transdisciplinary approach for DRRM.

-We do not teach professionals what they already know

MDRM does not attempt to teach professionals with knowledge that they already know. Instead, we provide tools and knowledge with good balance of academic and practical contents to enhance their technical and analytical skills so that graduates will be able to make evidence-based decision-making and planning once they return to their work. For example, we require professionals in emergency response to learn about developing flood hazard maps with GIS and flood modeling and for geotechnical engineers to be exposed to community-based DRR.

-Learning from Japan – a shopping mall of disasters

Japan is known for being a “shopping mall” of disasters that has experienced and recovered from some of the world’s most costly and devastating disasters. Through this experience, Japan had established itself as the leader in disaster prevention and preparedness. Japan has hosted all of the world conferences for DRR (Yokohama, Kobe, Sendai) and contributed significantly to the global DRR frameworks that are helping the world to become a safer place from disasters. In this spirit, the program aim to bring some of the key knowledge and experiences from Japan to be shared in MDRM.   

-Learning and networking with fellow DRRM professionals 

One of the significant characteristics of MDRM program is that the students are all experienced DRRM professionals from various backgrounds. Because lectures are conducted in an interactive environment, the students can freely start a discussion with his/her lecturers and fellow students. As such, MDRM students are able to learn not only from their lecturers, but also from their classmates. In addition, the linkage established during MDRM often leads to collaborations among department and agencies after students go back to work after graduation.

-It is not just about getting a degree

If you are seeking only to get a degree to write on your resume, perhaps there are easier options elsewhere. MDRM is an intense program with lectures, fieldwork, assignments and masters project. We also challenge students to explore outside of their “comfort zones” because that is the only way to strengthen knowledge and skills that could bring a societal change for disaster resilience. The MDRM team welcomes those who seek to become a true expert and leaders in the area of disaster risk reduction and management.

From 27 to 31 August 2019, group of researchers from MJIIT/UTM’s DRM program, led by Dr. Faizah Che Ros and researchers from Kansai University, Kyoto University, Tottori University and Ritsumeikan University visited Kundasang, Sabah to conduct their first activity together for the joint research project, “Study on Debris Flow Modeling and Water Quality Implications after the 2015 Earthquake in Mesilau River, Kundasang, Sabah.

This research project has 2 parts with the objectives below:

1. Debris Flow Modeling

• Remotely sensed data analysis to understand the cause and impacts of the earthquake.
• Fieldwork and visit to understand the causes, impacts of earthquakes and its cascading geohazards and, to do the diameter investigation for debris flow modeling.
• Rainfall data analysis to design the scenario of rainfall to be the input of numerical modeling.
• Debris flow modeling using Kanako-2D.
• Develop an integrated framework of low-cost early warning system based on numerical modeling, stakeholder’s engagement.

2. Water Quality Analysis

• Desktop study on understanding the acid rock drainage due to debris flow and methods improve the water quality
• Fieldwork for water quality sampling at identified sampling station that will be covered up, mid and downstream of Mesilau River
• Lab work for water quality analysis – The various parameters of interest present in water are broadly placed in four categories, namely physical parameters, metals, inorganic non-metallic contents or chemical compounds and organic parameters.
• Lab/field testing on the possible method to improve water quality.

The research project is expected to last until 2021 in which some of the Malaysian lecturers will find similar case studies in Japan to bring back to Malaysia for application.

During 7-18 May, one of MDRM’s elective course, Disaster Education and Preparedness for Social Resilience, was organized by international lecture team consisting of Professor Fusanori Miura of Yamaguchi University, Professor Hitoshi Nakamura of Shibaura Institute of Technology, Dr. Khairul Hisyam bin Kamardin and Dr. Shohei Matsuura of UTM.

The course introduced some of the tools that are widely used in Japan for working with communities for building local disaster resilience as well as methodologies to utilize scientific information to plan local land use and DRM planning. These knowledge and skills are expected to help DRM practitioners plan and implement disaster risk reduction activities based on evidence instead from just experience.

As an example, Professor Miura conducted the Disaster Imagination Exercise (DIG) exercise in which students were required to develop evacuation maps under a given a scenario that the surrounding areas of UTM KL campus have been flooded due to extreme rainfall. The students carefully drafted and layered several sheets with information representing landscape and hazard risks, and then finally coming up with the safest route and location to evacuate.

A special lecture was given by an international student from Bangladesh on disaster profile, issues and measures taken by the government and donors in the most disaster-prone countries in the world. DPPC/MDRM team is expected to visit Bangladesh this year to conduct interviews and field visits to learn and seek possible collaborations in research and training.

The MDRM program is expected to continue to provide practical knowledge and skills for existing DRM practitioners and for those seriously seeking to pursue a career in emergency management and disaster risk management. Students may choose to pursue a master’s degree or pick and choose among 10 technical and/or policy-based MDRM courses of their interest to develop their professional skills.

MDRM website: https://mjiit.utm.my/dppc/mdrm-homepage/
CPT webpage: https://mjiit.utm.my/dppc/cpt/

The 2nd Joint Workshop on Sediment Transport & Debris Flow with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) was organized in cooperation with the Humid Tropic Center (HTC) on 18 April 2018.

Lecturers were provided for MDRM students and DID staffs by Prof Dr Eng Shinji Egashira, Research and Training Advisor, International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM) and Adjunct Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Japan and Dr. Norlida Mohd. Dom, Deputy Director of HTC-DID.

Among several key issues on sediment & debris flow monitoring and prediction, evaluation of sediment laden flow, river channel morphologies and changes, river bed aggradation/degradation and related sediment issues and mathematical tools for evaluating sediment induced hazards were discussed.

DPPC plans to continue collaborating with DID for providing professional training for its staffs including possible internship opportunities in Japan at institutes including ICHARM.

This workshop was planned and organized by Dr. Faizah Che Ros, course coordinator of MMJD 1223 Flood Forecasting and Hazard Mapping course of MDRM .