The government forecasts a "weak to moderate" El Nino phenomenon this year but expects states on Borneo island to be worst hit by its dry spell, officials said today.

"We are keeping in close contact with meteorologists around the world and the signs so far, if it happens, is a weak to moderate El Nino," Environment Minister Law Hieng Ding told AFP .

Law said his ministry was monitoring the situation in the region and government agencies had made preparations to face the drought.

"We are aware of all these forecasts and will do everything possible to minimise the effect if it does happen," he said.

He declined to give details of the preparations, saying "we are still working on it, but there are many, many things and we are ready".

Borneo most affected

The ministry's central forecast office director Hwang Yung Fong said the drought brought on by El Nino was expected to hit hardest in the eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo island.

"We have done quite a bit of research and though we find we are still on the edge of the El Nino, Sabah and Sarawak will be more affected by it," she said.

Hwang said the El Nino phenomenon was likely to hit the region by November but it was still unclear how severe the drought would be.

"This is an oceanic phenomenon, so it is very difficult to forecast and each El Nino has its different characteristics. We are monitoring very closely," she added.

El Nino, which last brought a severe dry spell to Malaysia in April 1997, is characterized by the appearance of unusually warm, nutrient-poor water off Ecuador and northern Peru.

The phenomenon occurs every few years and usually induces rains and floods on coastlines in South America and brings severe drought to the western rim of the Pacific.