An integrated multi-hazard risk assessment: outlining an emerging field of research and practice in Malaysia

Abstract

A number of natural-­and man--made disasters are increasing globally. Solution-­-oriented knowledge as a result of multi-­-discipline centric approaches in dealing with complex multi-­- hazard and disaster risk remained elusive in Malaysia. This paper presents an integrated multi-­- hazard risk assessment from the context of research, development and practices in Malaysia. We explore the international framework on building and developing the Multi-­-Inter-­- and Trans-­- (MIT) disciplinary disaster risk. Challenges, current status and future direction of MIT disciplinary disaster are explicitly explained and discussed. Given the extreme climate, intense degradation and high anthropogenic activities coupling to the geological, morphological, physical factors made the quantitative assessment of spatiotemporal disasters possible in both time and space. We aim at strengthening integrated disaster risk research and promoting multiple scales, stakeholder's engagement, knowledge domain, multi-­-disciplines, methodological framework and implementation. This paper addresses the capability of an integrated disaster risk research as a supplementary tool and a step forward to improve our understanding on multi-­-scale disaster processes, activities and impacts in a changing environment.