THE Penang government should sue Putrajaya to obtain its share of the flood-mitigation project funds, a DAP backbencher proposed today.

R.S.N. Rayer (DAP-Seri Delima) urged Penang to seek advice from the state legal adviser on whether this could be done.

“It is clear that promises were made by the federal government to allocate funds for flood-mitigation projects in Penang, especially to deal with floods in Datuk Keramat and Sg Pinang,” he said in the state legislative assembly today.

If the promised funds have still not been disbursed, the state should take legal action to compel the federal government to disburse them, he added.

Earlier, when answering a question on how much was spent by the federal government on flood-mitigation projects in Penang, flood-mitigation committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow (DAP-Padang Kota) said since 2008, RM1.102 billion had been spent on 39 projects. 

From the amount, the state Department of Irrigation and Drainage handled 33 projects worth RM1.047 billion. The Penang Island City Council handled three projects at a cost of RM13.5 million while the Seberang Prai Municipal Council handled three other projects at RM40.6 million. 

The Penang assembly began today and is scheduled to end by November 13.

Chow said many plans were made for such projects under the 9th to 11th Malaysia Plans (MP).

Senior Barisan Nasional leaders, including Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and state Umno chief Zainal Abidin Osman, claimed that the federal government had given Penang more than RM2 billion flood-mitigation projects.

However, in reality, the state only received a fraction of the funds, he said, adding that funds for Penang have been dwindling since the state government changed hands in 2008.

“Under 9MP, when BN was still in government, the allocation for Penang was RM1.4 billion. Under 10MP, the amount fell to RM300 million.

“If there were no funds for the flood mitigation project in Sg Pinang under 11MP, there would be even less money.”

Under 11MP, Penang was to be given RM404.5 million. In November last year, the federal government approved an additional RM150 million for the Sg Pinang flood-mitigation project. – November 2, 2017.