This study reviewed some of the challenges faced by local authorities in disaster management, especially flood disasters that occurred in Malaysia. Flood disasters are the most frequent disasters in Malaysia, especially during the monsoon seasons. The hard structure developed by Malaysia’s National Security Council (MKN) under ‘Directive 20’ is used to manage disasters in the country. Although Malaysia has become more skillful in managing flood disasters, the frequent climate changes along with weakness in implementing flood risk management plans resulted in much losses and damages throughout the country. Therefore, this study explored the gaps and weaknesses in flood risk management (FRM) in Malaysia by reviewing the available literature to recommend better flood management. This study revealed four main issues which are weaknesses in terms of (i) coordination and communication, (ii) manpower and assets, (iii) public awareness, and (iv) power and authority among local authorities to implement flood management plans. The capacity of local authorities and individuals in charge of disaster management is inadequate, especially for flood risk preparedness and management. Hence, responsible individuals are also in a vulnerable situation to implement management plans or rescue operations when flood disasters occur since they are also flood victims. Thus, the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) which acts as the main coordinator of disaster management in Malaysia should re-examine the flood management plan to ensure that it can be implemented efficiently and effectively, especially at the local level as they are the first respondents on the scene when the disaster occurs. The combination of both structural and non-structural measures might require in many cases the management of flood disasters; however, the disaster risk preparedness and management of individuals via customized training is a must to prevent flood disasters as well as minimize their impact. The flood management plan should also incorporate natural-based approaches at the whole-river-basin level for the long-term solution and sustainable development, not only focusing to manage the localized flood problem at the specific area.

Flash floods are a concerning social issue that affect urban areas all over the world. Flash floods can disrupt vital services, damage infrastructure, have socio-economic impacts on the earth’s surface, and significantly impact the community near the water body. Household and commercial damage, physical health issues from contaminated floodwater, mental health issues including post-traumatic stress disorder, and even fatalities are some of these common effects. Additionally, it is anticipated that climate change, continuous population growth, and urbanisation will increase flood events and flood risk exposure. Nature-based solutions (NbS) for flood management that lower flood risks include sustainable, economical methods that improve biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, and community well-being. This in-depth study analyses research and literature that previous researchers conducted related to flood management around ASEAN countries, as all these countries are closely located and share similarities in climate and temperature. This survey focuses on identifying the most suitable and effective NbS to overcome the problem and appropriate non-structural measures to support it in solving the flood problem in Malaysia. NbS provide a multi-benefit approach by improving ecosystem resilience, cutting costs, and offering co-benefits, including biodiversity conservation and better water quality, in contrast to conventional methods that put infrastructure before environmental sustainability. This survey also looks at the weaknesses in the existing flood management system and provides recommendations to overcome these problems. Additionally, this survey offers practical policy suggestions to help incorporate NbS into regional and national flood control frameworks, guaranteeing that the solutions are not only socially just but also ecologically sound.

Flood disasters are common events in Malaysia, particularly during the monsoon seasons. Hence, disaster management in Malaysia is based on the framework following “Directive 20” by the National Security Council (MKN). This study gathered qualitative information in Shah Alam Municipality through informal interviews with 20 informants following the quadruple-helix multi-stakeholders model in 2023 for flood disaster management (FDM). Thematic analysis of the qualitative information was conducted following the four main priority of action themes of the Sendai Framework for United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030) using the Taguette software. This study found coordination and inter-agency data sharing are two major issues in Shah Alam that require immediate attention for FDM. Thus, this study suggests improving district-level flood management guidelines, especially the involvement of the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA). The NADMA should have a close look at the flood management plan, which acts as Malaysia’s main disaster management coordinator, as they are usually the first agency on the scene when a disaster occurs. Hence, to prevent and lessen flood disaster impact, disaster risk preparedness and individual management through customized training are crucial in combining non-structural and structural measures for FDM.