PUTRAJAYA must set up a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to determine the causes and mitigation measures for the devastating floods in several states on December 18, P. Ramasamy said. 

The Penang DAP deputy chairman and deputy chief minister II said it was important to ascertain whether the actual cause was an effect of climate change or human intervention. 

“I hope lawmakers can advocate this step forward. 

“Without a responsible and serious inquiry the floods might be soon forgotten,” he said in a statement today. 

Downpour on December 18 led to flooding in the Klang Valley, Pahang, Kelantan, Negri Sembilan and Malacca. 

Sri Muda in Shah Alam, Hulu Langat and Karak saw the most devastating damages with water levels up to the roof and houses in some places swept away by heavy currents. 

In Karak, logging activities pushed mud and logs into the river as well as the town, making it difficult for post-flood clean-up. 

Ramasamy said it is time that the government took climate change seriously. 

“Scientists have been warning us about climate change for a long time. 

“However, the present nation-state political formula makes it difficult to enforce measures that would mitigate the worst effects of global warming.”

Uncontrolled logging must also be stopped, he added. – December 29, 2021.