The announcement was made by the chief secretary to the government, Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. In a statement today, he congratulated Abdul Halim and said his leadership experience and service record would strengthen the ministry’s service delivery.

Abdul Halim, 54, is the current director-general of the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).

He has served in the public sector for nearly 30 years, starting as an assistant director at the implementation coordination unit, Prime Minister’s Department and later serving as senior deputy secretary-general (finance & development) there in 2023 before becoming Nadma chief on June 9, 2025.

In a related move, Meor Ismail Meor Akim, deputy secretary-general (development) at the rural and regional development ministry, will take over as director-general of Nadma, also from Monday.

Meor Ismail, 56, has served in the public sector for over 31 years, beginning as an assistant secretary at the finance ministry.

According to the statement, he previously held the position of deputy state secretary (development) of Perak and deputy director-general (operations implementation) at Nadma.

“With his vast experience across various fields encompassing the federal and state levels, I am confident and believe that he will lead Nadma with full dedication.

“This appointment ensures the nation’s capability to strengthen a disaster management system that is more efficient, integrated, and responsive,” he said.