By Media Selangor Team
SHAH ALAM, Sept 26 – Amid growing concerns over climate change, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari is urging governments worldwide to strengthen policies and decision making to address the crisis.
He said extreme weather events like the recent Super Typhoon Ragasa, which severely disrupted communications, transportation and daily life in Hong Kong and China, are part of a worsening trend that will continue to affect the world in the coming years.
Amirudin warned that some cities are projected to be submerged by 2050, while others face severe water shortages.
“Governments around the world must evolve their policy and decision making by factoring in climate change,” he said when delivering a lecture at Peking University, Beijing yesterday, as part of his official visit to China.
“Can we build connected systems to ensure no person on earth goes underwater or lacks water to survive in the next 20 to 30 years?” he added.
Amirudin also stressed on the importance of a proactive and hands-on approach when shaping the government’s policy and decision making.
“We cannot depend on a top-down approach to solve problems and crises.
“Government officials cannot be confined to office spaces but must go down to the ground, handling problems and tackling crises head on,” he said, citing the Putra Heights gas pipeline explosion in April as an example of how governments should react to disasters.
He noted that state government officials were on the ground to solve the matter swiftly, stressing the importance of presence and communication to avoid public unrest.
“Governments must be proactive and waste no time to solve crises to avoid trust deficit.”
Separately, Amirudin said rising global populations are putting pressure on land use, as more areas are needed for housing and infrastructure, leaving less space for food production and driving up prices of essential goods.
He stressed the need for greater investment in research and development, especially in artificial intelligence, to boost agricultural yields without relying on vast tracts of land.
He added that energy production must also shift towards more efficient, sustainable and affordable sources that do not deplete underground resources.
Amirudin’s China visit is part of the state government’s official trade and investment mission from September 23 to 30.
