As Malaysia heads into the annual monsoon season, keeping a phone charged and a signal alive can be the difference between a family reaching help and being cut off. CelcomDigi says it is preparing for that exact moment, with a relief effort built around connectivity for communities most likely to flood.
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What CelcomDigi is putting in place
The operator is working with the Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA) and the Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) to provide emergency connectivity at temporary evacuation centres, known locally as Pusat Pemindahan Sementara (PPS), along with on-ground relief support. The effort is set to cover more than 3,400 households, with capacity to support around 42,000 people across six flood-prone states: Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Johor, Pahang and Sabah.
To get aid moving, CelcomDigi has handed the MRA four-wheel-drive vehicles, rescue boats, mobile charging stations, water and jet pumps, generators and volunteers. The idea is that relief can reach cut-off areas quickly, and that people in shelters can still charge devices and stay reachable.
The connectivity measures
Beyond the physical aid, the plan leans on CelcomDigi's network. The company says it will:
- Equip 15 PPS in high-risk areas with Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) units so affected families can stay in touch and reach services during an emergency.
- Elevate key network structures in flood-prone areas to protect critical radio and electronic equipment from water damage.
- Keep round-the-clock standby teams ready to deploy generators and other resources to affected sites to limit network disruption.
- Work with the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) and other authorities to pass timely information to communities in high-risk areas.
Network resilience has been a recurring theme for the operator this year, from its push on 5G coverage and spectrum to the way it handles connectivity for customers on the move. A flood response is a harder test of the same promise, because it has to hold up when power and roads do not.
What households can do now
CelcomDigi is also pointing people in flood-prone areas to prepare before the water rises. Its Flood Preparedness Kit, available through the CelcomDigi App and its social channels, sets out practical steps for responding during a flood. The guide can be downloaded in English and Bahasa Malaysia.
Why it matters
CelcomDigi is Malaysia's largest mobile operator, with more than 20.3 million users, so what it does during a disaster reaches a wide base. Framing flood response as a connectivity problem rather than only a supplies problem is the useful part here: in a real flood, being able to call for help or confirm a family member is safe is often the first thing people need, and the last thing they can take for granted. More detail on the effort is on CelcomDigi's website.
