Sarawak taps US expertise to strengthen disaster, maritime response

KUCHING (Jan 16): Sarawak is stepping up its disaster preparedness with insights from the United States, as officials from the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur met with the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) today to discuss crisis management, particularly for maritime emergencies.

The meeting explored ways to strengthen disaster preparedness and response capabilities, including the potential transfer and adaptation of weather detection modelling and early evacuation planning for coastal and riverine communities in Sarawak, according to a report by the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas).

Officials also emphasised the importance of institutional cooperation, capacity building, and knowledge exchange in enhancing the state’s disaster resilience.

Training, technical assistance, and sharing best practices in emergency coordination and command systems were highlighted as key strategies.

The discussion coincided with a courtesy visit by retired United States Coast Guard (USCG) Vice Admiral Peter Williams Gautier to Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, who is also SDMC Chairman.

Uggah shared his experiences managing disasters in the state, including floods, fires, haze incidents, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The meeting further saw an exchange of knowledge and experiences in crisis management, while representatives from the US Embassy outlined ongoing and potential collaboration programmes in education, communication, leadership development and biodiversity,” he said.

Gautier, who is in Sarawak to deliver a public talk at the State Library titled “From Crisis to Cooperation: Case Studies in US Maritime Incident Management”, was recognised for his leadership in complex crisis environments, having been named Harvard University’s Meta-Leader of the Year in 2024.

He was accompanied by US Embassy Senior Advisor Sadayan Riazurrahman and Director of Public Engagement Grace Choi.

Also present at the meeting were Deputy State Secretary (Administration) Datu Felicia Tan; State Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Director Datu Ahmad Denney Ahmad Fauzi; Sarawak Security and Enforcement Unit (UKPS) Director Abdul Wahab Rahim; and Sarawak Social Welfare Department Deputy Director Norhayati Abdul Rahman.