Are there public shelters in Malaysia?

Short answer. Malaysia has no system of public blast or fallout shelters. Its public shelters are temporary evacuation centres (Pusat Pemindahan Sementara, PPS), mostly schools and community halls, run by the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and opened during floods and other disasters ¹². There are 9,058 PPS nationwide, able to hold up to about two million people (JKM figure reported in January 2026) ¹.

What kind of public shelter exists in Malaysia?

Malaysian public shelters are built for natural disasters, not for war. A PPS is an existing building, usually a school or community hall, that is opened as a temporary evacuation centre when floods or other disasters force people out of their homes ¹. The Social Welfare Department (Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat, JKM) runs them ¹².

No public blast shelter or fallout shelter network was found in official sources. If you are looking for the kind of protected shelter found in some European countries, Malaysia does not have one; see Building a shelter for the rules on private structures.

How many evacuation centres are there?

In January 2026, JKM reported 9,058 PPS nationwide, able to hold up to about two million people affected by floods ¹. The figure comes from a report by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), the national broadcaster ¹.

How do I find my nearest evacuation centre?

JKM publishes open evacuation centres live on its InfoBencana portal (infobencanajkmv2.jkm.gov.my), by state and district, with their location, occupancy and capacity ². NADMA's disaster portal links to it under "InfoBencanaJKM: Info Bencana dan Pusat Pemindahan" ³.

A practical routine:

1. Before the rainy season, open InfoBencana and look at the centres listed for your district ².
2. Note the nearest one or two and how you would reach them if roads flood.
3. During an event, check the portal again: it shows which centres are open and how full they are ².

What should I bring to an evacuation centre?

The official emergency bag is designed for this situation. It holds what is needed to last 72 hours: water, long-life food, documents, cash, medicines, a phone and power bank, a torch, a radio and clothing. See Emergency supplies and the official kit list.

What about nuclear or chemical threats?

Malaysian official material centres on floods and other natural disasters. No official Malaysian guidance on sheltering from radiation or chemicals was recorded for these pages. Our general guides explain what other agencies advise: Shelter in place or evacuate after a nuclear emergency?, How do you shelter in place during a chemical release? and How fast does nuclear fallout decay? The 7-10 rule.

Frequently asked questions

Does Malaysia have bomb shelters?

No public blast or fallout shelter system was found. Public shelters are temporary evacuation centres opened during disasters ¹.

Who runs evacuation centres in Malaysia?

The Social Welfare Department (JKM) ¹².

Can I see whether a centre is full?

Yes. InfoBencana shows the occupancy and capacity of open centres by state and district ².

Where else is the evacuation centre list linked?

On NADMA's disaster portal, under InfoBencanaJKM ³.

Sources

1. Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), Portal Berita — 9,058 PPS di seluruh negara sedia tampung dua juta penduduk terjejas banjir — https://berita.rtm.gov.my/nasional/senarai-berita-nasional/senarai-artikel/9,058-pps-di-seluruh-negara-sedia-tampung-dua-juta-penduduk-terjejas-banjir (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) — InfoBencanaJKM — https://infobencanajkmv2.jkm.gov.my/landing/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
3. Agensi Pengurusan Bencana Negara (NADMA) — Portal Bencana NADMA — https://portalbencana.nadma.gov.my/ms/ (accessed 2026-10-20)