Natural disasters can no longer be understood as isolated local events. In an era shaped by climate systems, energy flows, and cross-border ecological interdependence, disasters reveal—often brutally—how deeply interconnected the world has become.
ON 35 DECEMBER 2025, former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad publicly urged the Malaysian government to strengthen and expand support for flood victims in Aceh, following severe flooding triggered by Cyclone Senyar. In a video posted on his official social media account, Mahathir described Aceh as a “natural shield” that absorbed much of the storm’s force from the Indian Ocean before it reached Malaysia. He also recalled the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, noting that…