National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA)

When a major flood strikes several states at once, who presses the button to coordinate the military, fire brigade, police and volunteers under a single command? In Malaysia, the answer is NADMA.

The National Disaster Management Agency (Agensi Pengurusan Bencana Negara, NADMA) is the lead agency that coordinates the country’s disaster management and disaster risk reduction. It is not a rescue team on the ground, but rather the “brain” that sets policy, issues directives and unites the resources of multiple agencies during a crisis.

What is NADMA and who does it fall under?

NADMA operates under the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM). It acts as the focal point for disaster management at the national, regional and international levels, and is responsible for shaping and ensuring that disaster management policies and mechanisms are complied with at every level.

Among its core functions:

• Issuing disaster management strategies, directives, action plans and guidance documents at the policy level.
• Operating the National Disaster Command Centre (NDCC) to collect, analyse and disseminate disaster information.
• Managing the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART).
• Administering the National Disaster Relief Trust Fund (KWABBN).
• Auditing the disaster management carried out by government agencies and directing improvements.

These functions and roles are detailed on the MyGovernment portal and NADMA’s official website (see sources #1 and #2).

How was NADMA established?

NADMA’s establishment stemmed from the decision to separate the disaster function from the National Security Council. According to the official record “History of NADMA’s Establishment” (source #3): on 29 July 2015, the Cabinet (Jemaah Menteri) agreed to separate the disaster management function from the MKN. The Cabinet then approved the establishment of NADMA on 26 August 2015, and the agency officially began operating under the JPM on 1 October 2015, guided by MKN Directive No. 20 at the time.

How are the federal, state and district levels coordinated?

The national disaster management mechanism is organised across three levels, where operational control moves to a higher level as the scale of the disaster increases. Each level is guided by the relevant disaster management committee.

Level	Scale of disaster	Controlling committee
Level I	Confined within a single district; manageable by district-level agencies	District Disaster Management Committee (JPBD)
Level II	Spanning more than one district within the same state; requires consolidation of state resources	State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN)
Level III	Spanning more than one state or complex; requires central-level coordination or international assistance	Central Disaster Management Committee (JPBP)

Source of the level structure: MKN Directive No. 20 (Revised), National Security Council (source #5). Note: MKN Directive No. 20 has been replaced by NADMA Directive No. 1 (2024); this level-to-committee mapping needs to be verified against that new document.

The determination of the level is made by the disaster management committee based on factors such as complexity and magnitude, damage, financial and human resource capacity, expertise and response time.

Is the framework the same as before?

No. The policy framework has been updated. On 1 August 2024, the National Security Council (MKN), in a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, approved NADMA Directive No. 1, replacing MKN Directive No. 20 (Revised) dated 30 March 2012. This new directive spells out the roles and responsibilities of all parties more effectively and holistically (sources #4 and #3).

In addition, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy 2030 was launched on 3 October 2024 by the Deputy Prime Minister (as Chairman of the Central Disaster Management Committee) in conjunction with National Preparedness Month 2024. This policy serves as the main reference for the government, the private sector and communities in planning disaster-related initiatives — a shift from response alone to long-term risk reduction (source #6).

What does it mean for residents?

For the public, NADMA is the framework behind coordinated warnings, evacuation centres and disaster relief. During a flood, evacuation orders, food distribution and placement at temporary relief centres move through the district or state committees guided by the NADMA framework. Post-disaster financial assistance, meanwhile, is channelled through the KWABBN.

What’s next

• Check NADMA’s official portal (nadma.gov.my) for current warnings and the list of temporary relief centres in your area.
• Refer to NADMA Directive No. 1 (2024) for the latest agency-role framework that replaces MKN Directive No. 20.
• Understand the disaster levels (I/II/III) so you know which level — district, state or central — is in control when an incident occurs.