Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the system could give a flood forecast two to seven days before any flood occurred at any given area.

“When fully completed by the end of 2017, it will give early information to the National Security Council (MKN), which could then disseminate the information to rescue agencies.

“This system is being developed after the massive floods in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang in (late) 2014,” he said after attending the Strategic Cooperation Programme for department and agency heads under the ministry together with federal government leaders from Kelantan.

Among the 200 attendees were Federal Action Council, Kelantan chairman Mustapa Mohamed, who is also International Trade and Industry Minister, and Natural Resources and Environment Deputy Minister Hamim Samuri.

Wan Junaidi said his ministry would extend the system in stages to Johor, Melaka, Kedah, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak at an additional cost of RM400 million, but only after it was completed for the east coast states.

On the withdrawal of the timber certification by the Kelantan Forest Management Unit under the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme, Wan Junaidi said the withdrawal would have a negative impact on the timber produced by the state.

“Without certification, the timber produced by Kelantan will not command a high value and will not be accepted by developed countries like Australia, the United States, Japan and European countries but will only end up at the construction sites of Saudi Arabia and China,” he said.

The timber certification was withdrawn on Nov 23 as the setting up of forest plantations did not meet the Malaysian Criteria and Indicators for Forest Management Certification (Natural Forest).

The minister said the certification was also withdrawn because the Kelantan government did not properly oversee logging in the state. The certification could resume however if the state government abided by the logging conditions set.