AS Johor continues to experience a spate of minor earthquakes, youth political wing Armada Johor has urged both state and federal governments to swiftly announce a comprehensive disaster preparedness and response plan.
Alias Rasman, Chief of Johor’s Armada branch—the youth wing of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu)—emphasised that although recent tremors were relatively weak, their repeated occurrence and perceptibility to the public demand urgent attention.
“The people have a right to feel safe in their own land. Such incidents, especially when they occur repeatedly in a short span of time, are naturally a cause for concern,” he said in a statement issued on Friday.
Alias called on the authorities to adopt proactive measures, including engaging geological and seismological experts to investigate the underlying causes and develop mitigation strategies. He also advocated strengthening early warning systems and intensifying public awareness campaigns.
“The wellbeing of the people depends on a balance with the natural world, and these subtle signals from the earth should not be taken lightly,” he added.
His remarks come amid a series of minor seismic events recorded in Johor’s Segamat district. The latest tremor, measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale, struck at 4.24am on Friday. It followed another tremor recorded just hours earlier at 7.56pm on Thursday, with a magnitude of 2.5.
Earlier in the week, on Wednesday morning, a 3.2 magnitude earthquake was reported at 8.59am. The quake was felt not only in parts of Johor but also in southern Pahang. Prior to that, on 24 August, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) confirmed a 4.1 magnitude quake at 6.13am in Segamat, followed by another at 9am in Yong Peng, located 28 kilometres northwest of Kluang, registering a magnitude of 2.8 at a depth of 10 kilometres.
Authorities have since stepped up monitoring activities across affected districts.
Chairman of the Segamat District Disaster Management Committee (JPBD), Mohd Ezzuddin Sanusi, said no injuries, casualties or property damage had been reported thus far. However, he urged residents to remain alert and promptly report any emergency situations linked to the tremors.
“MetMalaysia will continue monitoring the situation closely. Safety agencies and relevant departments are also actively assessing the situation to ensure public safety throughout the district,” he said in a separate Friday statement.
Mohd Ezzuddin also cautioned against the spread of unverified information, advising the public to rely on official updates from MetMalaysia and other government sources.
“JPBD Segamat will continue to provide timely updates to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of the public is safeguarded,” he said.
With multiple tremors recorded within days, pressure is mounting for a structured national or state-level earthquake response strategy, especially in regions previously considered low-risk. - August 29, 2025
