KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — The states of Pahang, Terengganu, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah, and Sarawak have been identified as areas at risk of earthquakes, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii said that studies conducted by the Mineral and Geoscience Department (JMG) through active fault mapping and the Malaysian Seismotectonic Map have identified fault zones in these states that are vulnerable to seismic activity.
As such, the Malaysian Seismic Hazard Map, developed by JMG in collaboration with the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), local universities, and related technical agencies, is currently being updated.
“The update takes into account the latest data, including recent earthquake events, the presence of active faults, geological materials, and soil investigation findings.
“The earthquakes in Segamat and Batu Pahat were part of a natural process releasing accumulated tectonic energy within ancient fault lines to stabilise the earth’s crust. This was influenced by the extension of the Mersing Fault Zone, a major fault system in East Johor.
“Based on current and updated data, Segamat and Johor as a whole remain within a safe zone,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Huang was responding to Seri Gading MP Aminolhuda Hassan's query on MetMalaysia and JMG's studies to determine the cause of recurring tremors in Segamat and Batu Pahat, and to identify other areas that may face similar risks in the future.
He added that both agencies are working together to monitor seismic activity nationwide to ensure a more effective early warning and disaster response system.
“To achieve this, MetMalaysia will implement Phase Two of the Earthquake and Tsunami Service Enhancement Project under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
“The project includes strengthening 12 seismic stations nationwide, building two new stations in Segamat and Muar, Johor, and upgrading four existing stations in Johor Bahru, Batu Pahat, and Gelang Patah from strong-motion to weak-motion types to detect low-magnitude tremors,” Huang said.
Meanwhile, in reply to Rompin MP Datuk Abdul Khalib Abdullah's supplementary query on the maximum possible earthquake magnitude in Johor, he said that studies by a seismometric working group — comprising technical agencies, researchers, and professional bodies under the Earthquake Action Committee led by JMG — found that the highest potential earthquake level in Segamat and Batu Pahat is of moderate intensity.
Although earthquakes in Peninsular Malaysia are generally of weak to moderate intensity, risks remain, particularly in areas close to fault zones like the Mersing Fault Zone, which is influenced by the region’s geological conditions.
“The design of earthquake-resistant structures in Malaysia is guided by the Malaysia National Annexe to Eurocode Eight: Design of Structures for Earthquake Resistance, published by the Standards Department, which serves as the main engineering reference for seismic mitigation,” Huang said.
