KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 14 -- If your mobile phone suddenly sounds a piercing siren and displays an evacuation order on November 19, do not rush to pack your bags.

According to NST, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is conducting a pilot test of the country's upcoming Cell Broadcast System (CBS), a long-overdue upgrade designed to modernise public disaster warnings.

Pilot testing across high-risk flood zones

The pilot exercise is expected to focus on high-risk, flood-prone regions, including selected areas across Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Kelantan, and Pahang.

While the simulated broadcast may instruct recipients to seek shelter immediately or warn of an imminent natural disaster, the notification is strictly a dr...