Higher temperature, sea level due to global warming

Malaysia's average temperature has risen by 1.1 degree Celsius in the past 50 years, consistent with the warming of global temperature, the Dewan Negara was told today.

This resulted in changes in the rainfall patterns, causing more floods, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Unggah Embas said.

The latest finding also showed that the sea level was also on the increase, at the rate of 1.25mm a year, he added.

"Based on the climate modelling for the next 100 years, the temperature is expected to rise between 0.7 degree and 2.6 degrees Celsius," he said in reply to Dr Syed Husin Ali in the Dewan Negara.

Syed Husin wanted to know the effects of global warming to Malaysia.

Uggah said during the period rainfall was expected to fluctuate within the range of between minus 30 and 30 per cent.

He said global warming, which also affected the weather in the country, might also increase the occurrence of vector-borne diseases such as cholera, malaria and dengue.