Negri Sembilan may still be vulnerable to small-scale earthquakes despite being located outside the Active Ring of Fire zone, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said the state contains several ancient fault lines that could potentially be reactivated by regional tectonic movements.
He explained that monitoring by the Minerals and Geoscience Department Malaysia (JMG) showed Negri Sembilan lies outside Malaysia’s high-risk seismic belt. However, the presence of old fault zones means the possibility of minor seismic activity cannot be completely ruled out.
“Areas that may be exposed to micro or small-scale earthquakes in Negri Sembilan include locations near the Kuala Pilah fault zone,” he said during Minister’s Question Time, in response to a supplementary question from Jelebu MP Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias.
Arthur said JMG assessments indicate that while the overall risk remains low, future minor earthquakes could still occur in areas surrounding these fault lines due to regional tectonic energy release.
He added that authorities will continue monitoring geological activity to assess potential risks and ensure preparedness.
