I am sure that many of you, like me, are still reeling from the emotional and, for many, physical impact of the recent floods. While our hearts must go out to those who have been affected, our heads need to acknowledge that nature is angry at what we have done to our country and planet and is reacting accordingly. What we are observing and experiencing is a coalition of crises, where climate and health are colliding with deadly effect. Omicron has arrived, causing new misery – now combined with floods and population displacement, creating a new set of health and welfare challenges. This coalition of crises is a manifestation of the poor state of the planet and radically enhances our exposure to health and other disaster threats. In Malaysia it has been exacerbated by several factors including widespread perceptions of poor governance and weak leadership. Standing instructions (Directive 20) on disaster management have not been updated since 2012 despite a major flood incident in 2014.

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