UNAIR NEWS – The ASEAN Disaster Information Network (ADInet) records that 10 ASEAN member countries have experienced 1,899 disaster events from July 2012 to May 2020. These disasters have impacted 147 million people and caused economic losses amounting to USD 17 billion.
Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) and the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) are collaborating to build disaster-resilient cities. The webinar titled “Advancing Local Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies for Equitable Resilience and Community Development” on Thursday, March 21, 2024, via WebEx marks the beginning of this collaborative project.
Project objectives and workflow
Dr. Khamarrul Azahari Razak, Director of the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Centre (DPPC) at MJIIT UTM, stated that the goal of this project is to improve disaster risk reduction strategies. A system thinking approach functions to comprehensively understand and manage disaster risks. “This project aims to improve disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies and community resilience at the local level,” he expressed.
For this project, a team of researchers will be formed. “The UNAIR research team consists of Dr. Hijrah Saputra ST MSc, Prof. Dr. Suparto Wijoyo SH, MHum, Dr. Hariyono SKp Mkes, Dr. Ni Made Sukartini SE MSI MIDEC, Dr. Eko Kuncoro ST DEA, Wahyu Wisnu Wardana MSc,” Dr. Khammarul disclosed.
This research will focus on two regions: Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia, and Surabaya, Indonesia. Collaborative visits to Selangor are scheduled for April 5, 2024, and to Surabaya on July 1-3, 2024.
The project will proceed in five stages, starting with data collection, project design, and network development. The second stage involves investigating regional capacities and adaptive governance needs, as well as assessing system-thinking approaches.
“Next, stages four and five involve developing DRR strategies and resilience, as well as documenting reporting, and disseminating knowledge,” he added.
Expected collaboration outcomes
Dr. Khamarul Azhari explained that the project is expected to produce three outcomes. Firstly, the project will generate best practices and DRR strategies, as well as effective and inclusive community development.
“Secondly, the project will produce effective tools for implementing DRR in the region. Additionally, it will contribute to the development of multi-level DRR actions and community resilience in disaster-prone areas,” he added.
Thirdly, the project’s outputs can improve community resilience to disasters while promoting sustainable development. “Finally, we hope this project can realize disaster resilience and drive sustainable and equitable development in Indonesia and Malaysia,” he concluded.
Author: Hana Mufidatuz Zuhrah
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
