Resilience narratives of multiethnic communities during water supply disruptions in the climate change era: evidence from Malaysia

Climate-induced infrastructure disruptions are increasingly seen as social crises that challenge governance, public trust, and community resilience, especially in urban areas. This qualitative study examines how multiethnic communities on Penang Island, Malaysia, responded to a water supply disruption in early 2024, focusing on crisis management and community adaptive capacity. Using an integrated framework of Crisis Management Theory (CMT) and Norris et al.’s community resilience model, resilience is viewed as shaped by governance, citizen perceptions, and collective learning. Data from 36 semi-structured interviews with residents revealed that ethnic identity was not the main factor influencing perceptions and coping strategies. Instead, residents actively engaged with institutional responses, mobilized informal strategies, and adapted in ways that impacted both immediate recovery and long-term resilience. Key themes include: (i) perceptions of government crisis response, (ii) individual and household coping strategies, (iii) trust in institutions and future confidence, (iv) learning, adaptation, and resilience capacity, and (v) governance and equity in infrastructure. Results highlight that transparency, coordination, and perceived fairness critically shape trust and cooperation during crises. This study advances resilience theory by integrating CMT’s temporal focus with Norris et al.’s framework, linking crisis response to resilience outcomes. It highlights the need for dual-track crisis governance, combining emergency response with long-term investments in inclusive infrastructure, community engagement, and public preparedness. The study suggests that while class and geography may temporarily override ethnic differences in acute crises, ethnic stratification may re-emerge in prolonged disruptions, offering insights for cities in the Global South facing climate-induced infrastructure challenges.