The current floods that have impacted various parts of the country have given rise to an extensive commentary on the response cycles of various stakeholders. It has in turn led to continued crisis communications and statements in the media by agencies and ministries alike. This binary approach to the discussion has also created a perceived “us and them” situation when in a crisis of this nature there should only be “we”.
Instead of being anxious about the ongoing commentary and flood of social media comments, the government should now take the opportunity to actively listen and embrace the process. This is free business intelligence, especially if the business model is keeping people happy and safe. Don’t let the critical data go the way of the floodwaters – simply flowing into the oceans or seeping back into the soil.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. | Photo by Drew Beamer/Unsplash
The challenge will be organising the information into a meaningful framework. For that penny dropping moment to take place, there needs to be a reference for the narrative, a ground zero. For the governments involved, state and federal, this information framework needs to run the width of all ministries and agencies; then it needs to be multiplied by the depth of an analysis that includes an understanding of litany, the social and systemic causes, the impact of worldview and the myths that shape the metaphors that are deeply woven into culture and history.
Pioneered by Professor Sohail Inayatullah, Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) is an approach and a technique used in foresight to develop possible and desired futures. While used in future studies, designing a desired future often sees its catalyst in the eye of a crisis. As a way to design a desired future, it is a much-needed starting point.
Moving forward, how will corporate leaders address the critical questions in a business ecosystem that has increasingly been defined by crisis?
The recent floods have seen an increasingly important role of the private sector. Supply chains that deliver food, water, and essential items, in particular, are all in the hands of the private sector. Therefore, they need to be recognised as a critical stakeholder; to be included at each step of the process from planning, rollout, monitoring and review of each crisis.
As the collective conscious of the nation grabs the preverbal elephant and as one of the three blindfolded men, there is a need to take a step back and view the overall problem with open eyes. Each crisis is deeper and wider than initially imagined.
The social media analysis shows, in the mind of the public, that the line in the sand has shifted. It was once enough to “respond to crisis”. Now the new baseline is to “resolve a crisis”. Between responding and resolving is a considerable difference in resources required. No doubt, millions have been spent. However, when faced with the wrath of mother nature exacerbated by climate change, clearly billions not millions will be required.
Retained organisational learning is the key to unlocking the much-discussed resilience. This will be required at NADMA (National Disaster Management Agency). Imagine a repository of knowledge and talent better enabled to coordinate and respond with all stakeholders – public and private, community and international.
Looking forward, as we begin to wrestle with 2022, better decisions within the sphere of crisis management will be gleamed at the intersection of data science, applied foresight models, deeper stakeholder understanding, behavioural communications and meaningful resource allocation.
*Written by Nordin Abdullah, Founding Chairman, Malaysia Global Business Forum
**This commentary was published in the following media: BERNAMA, New Straits Times, The Sun Daily, The Malaysian Reserve and News Hub Asia.
Services
Stakeholder mapping, analysis, engagement and communication needs to be detailed to avoid business losses or even worse, a crisis. How can you do this effectively to prevent failure? ...
Data-driven business decisions have never been as crucial, especially in this era. MGBF leverages off, technology, experience and market presence to aid businesses in making accurate decisions. ...
MGBF provides comprehensive strategic advice and results-focused solutions to solve clients' problems in business-government relations so they can focus on their core business. ...
A critical business challenge is meeting the right decision-makers and potential buyers through the best channel and platform. How will you improve your business competency? ...
Upcoming Events
The threat matrix has evolved to include information warfare, cyberspace incursions, big data and behavioural communications. Business leaders need to be aware of these threats to survive. What are you doing as a key stakeholder?
Companies can now live or die based on their ability to generate and manage data. Effectively managing existential challenges is the opportunity that business leaders need to grasp for a sustainable future. Calling for speakers!
Corporations and their leadership often face weaponised information attacks in the media. Understanding these advanced business threats is crucial. Recently completed. View proceedings online.
Special session: Cyberwarfare Waged on the Corporate Sector - Lessons from the Russia-Ukraine Crisis. Corporations are in a digital arms race that many don't realise. How does this relate to your organisation?
MGBF In The News
We live in the age of crisis. At the heart of any crisis is the threat of rapid change. Change too deep or too wide that the current coping mechanisms for an individual, corporation or government are unable to remain resilient. An unwelcome paradigm shift, like the proverbial spider, that […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) has released a report following the roundtable on ‘Digital Resilience in the Corporate Sector’, which was recently held in Kuala Lumpur. In attendance as guest of honour was Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin. The report recommended several critical development […]
Trade and investment delegations will trickle back over the next few months, but the second half of the year should see considerable return of business travellers. It was learnt that over 50 per cent of international business chambers and industry associations surveyed will consider sending exploratory teams to Malaysia during […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 30 March 2022 – The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF)’s exclusive roundtable on ‘Digital Resilience in the Corporate Sector’ was held in a hybrid setting yesterday at the Element by Westin Kuala Lumpur. The discussion focused on what business leaders need to understand, to ensure business resilience and […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF)’s exclusive roundtable on ‘Addressing Weaponised Information in the Media’ was held in a hybrid setting today at the Hilton Kuala Lumpur. The discussion focused on addressing one of the most relevant threats to businesses in the digital economy – cyber threats causing physical and […]
The current floods that have impacted various parts of the country have given rise to an extensive commentary on the response cycles of various stakeholders. It has in turn led to continued crisis communications and statements in the media by agencies and ministries alike. This binary approach to the discussion […]
The formation of a special Cabinet committee to develop strategic measures to safeguard the economy amid the Covid-19 outbreak shows the Malaysian government is serious about creating a balance between the continued safety of the general population and the survival of the economy. In the global context, as many countries […]
Innovation, coupled with a radical departure from contemporary thinking, is required with a possible reality of a prolonged crisis becoming the new reality that people and companies must function through. Malaysia Global Business Forum founding chairman Nordin Abdullah said innovation and resilience from all stakeholders will be required to shape […]
The recent announcement that a committee jointly chaired by senior ministers in charge of security and economy clusters respectively demonstrates that the Malaysian government is serious about creating a balance between continued safety of the general population and the survival of the economy. In the global context, as many countries […]
Innovation, coupled with a radical departure from contemporary thinking, is required with a possible reality of a prolonged crisis becoming the new reality that people and companies must function through. Malaysia Global Business Forum founding chairman Nordin Abdullah said innovation and resilience from all stakeholders will be required to […]
Innovation, coupled with a radical departure from contemporary thinking, is required with a possible reality of a prolonged crisis becoming the new reality that people and companies must function through. Malaysia Global Business Forum founding chairman Nordin Abdullah said innovation and resilience from all stakeholders will be required to […]
The announcement that a committee jointly chaired by senior ministers in charge of security and economy clusters demonstrates that the government is serious about creating a balance between the safety of the population and the survival of the economy. In the global context, as many countries struggle to deal […]
THE Covid-19 outbreak has exposed the citizens of most countries to a dangerous virus. But perhaps more importantly, it has exposed the weaknesses in supply chains of nations.The government should be commended for setting up a task force to maintain critical supply chains as it’s an excellent step to ensure […]
In the last few days, the Movement Control Order (MCO) has awoken many to the fact that supply chains that we assume work without question have now become highly critical.The establishment of a special task force to maintain critical supply chains by the current government is an excellent step to […]
by Gunaprasath Bupalan (YouTube – Emjay Communications, The Malaysia Global Business Forum, News Hub Asia, Property360Digest) The CEO Series 2019 by REHDA Institute is more than a developer’s driven event; it is about the strategy made real, where property and its ancillary businesses will provide balance in social, economic and […]
I am the Managing Director of Lynas Malaysia and I’m writing to you on behalf of our employees and contractors and their families. In recent weeks you may have seen a campaign of false information by anti-Lynas activists. We have always welcomed informed debate, however, the spreading of false allegations […]
I am the Managing Director of Lynas Malaysia and I’m writing to you on behalf of our employees and contractors and their families. In recent weeks you may have seen a campaign of false information by anti-Lynas activists. We have always welcomed informed debate, however, the spreading of false allegations […]
I am the Managing Director of Lynas Malaysia and I’m writing to you on behalf of our employees and contractors and their families. In recent weeks you may have seen a campaign of false information by anti-Lynas activists. We have always welcomed informed debate, however, the spreading of false allegations […]
SALAM sejahtera, I am the managing director of Lynas Malaysia and I’m writing to you on behalf of our employees, contractors and their families. In recent weeks, you may have seen a campaign of false information by anti-Lynas activists. We have always welcomed informed debates; however, the spreading of false allegations and […]
KUALA LUMPUR • Malaysia could attract investments of up to RM100 billion (S$33 billion) in the rare earth sector over the next 10 years, once the government makes clear how it intends to regulate the industry. Speaking at the Malaysia Global Business Forum yesterday, Entrepreneurial Development Minister Mohd Redzuan Md […]