By Salawati Haji Yahya –
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, OCT 25 – The ceremony to commemorate 20 years of the Indian Ocean Tsunami and ASEAN Disaster Management Day 2024, was held today at Taman Mahkota Jubilee Emas in the capital.
Present at the event, the Minister of Home Affairs, Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman as Chairman of the 12th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM), the AHA Center and the European Union (EU) as sponsors this event.
Among other things, the purpose of the event is to reflect back on the terrible tsunami incident and be a reminder of the tragedy that has claimed more than 230,000 lives in 14 countries, with a major disaster impact on the Southeast Asian community and the Indian Ocean region.
At the event, Yang Berhormat Dato in his speech, among other things, reflected on the impact of disasters and tsunamis that have reshaped the way of dealing with natural disasters and the importance for stakeholders to improve preparedness, resilience, mitigation and ability to face disasters.
Following the tsunami incident that has strengthened the commitment and interconnectedness of ASEAN countries and the region, further emphasizing the urgent need for every effort to continue to be coordinated to reduce the risk of natural disasters.
In addition, Yang Berhormat Dato also stated the importance of establishing an early warning system and strengthening infrastructure as a mitigation measure in the face of natural disasters in the future.
The involvement of all parties at every level of society is also very important in helping each other and fostering a culture of resilience in addition to strengthening regional cooperation, especially in ensuring that those affected by the disaster receive the necessary support to rebuild their lives.
Earlier the Launch Ceremony Commemorating the Launch of 20 Years of the Indian Ocean Tsunami and ASEAN Disaster Management Day 2024, a symbolic tree planting event in the Taman Mahkota Jubilee area by ASEAN ministers.
The planting is to signify the spirit of lasting recovery and as a fitting tribute to the resilience of nature and affected communities.
