Deputy natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Huang Tiong Sii said studies conducted by the mineral and geoscience department (JMG), through active fault mapping and the Malaysian seismotectonic map, found fault zones in these states vulnerable to seismic activity.
“The Johor earthquakes in Segamat and Batu Pahat were part of a natural process of releasing accumulated tectonic energy within ancient fault lines.
“This was influenced by the extension of the Mersing Fault Zone, a major fault system in east Johor.
“Based on current and updated data, Segamat, and Johor as a whole, remains within a safe zone,” Bernama reported him as saying.
Huang said the Malaysian Seismic Hazard Map, developed by JMG in collaboration with the meteorological department (MetMalaysia), local universities and related technical agencies, is currently being updated.
“The update takes into account the latest data, including recent earthquake events, the presence of active faults, geological materials and soil investigation findings,” he said during question time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Huang was responding to Aminolhuda Hassan (PH-Seri Gading) about studies by MetMalaysia and JMG to determine the cause of recurring tremors in Segamat and Batu Pahat, and efforts to identify other areas that may face similar risks.
He said MetMalaysia and JMG are working together to monitor seismic activity nationwide to ensure a more effective early warning and disaster response system.
“To achieve this, MetMalaysia will implement phase two of the earthquake and tsunami service enhancement project under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
“The project includes strengthening 12 seismic stations nationwide, building two new stations in Segamat and Muar in Johor and upgrading four existing stations in Johor Bahru, Batu Pahat and Gelang Patah from strong-motion to weak-motion types to detect low-magnitude tremors,” he said.
In reply to a supplementary question from Abdul Khalib Abdullah (PN-Rompin) on the maximum earthquake magnitude in Johor, Huang said studies by a seismometric working group found that Segamat and Batu Pahat will see moderate-intensity earthquakes at most.
He said although earthquakes in Peninsular Malaysia are generally of weak to moderate intensity, risks remain, particularly in areas close to fault zones such as the Mersing Fault Zone.
“The design of earthquake-resistant structures in Malaysia is guided by the Malaysia National Annex to Eurocode 8: Design of Structures for Earthquake Resistance, published by the standards department, which serves as the main engineering reference for seismic mitigation,” he said.