THE developer of the East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE) has apologised for the flash floods that have plagued residents in Hulu Langat, Selangor, several times in the past year.

Ahmad Zaki Resources Berhad (AZRB) senior general manager Khalid Mohamed said it was their duty as the developers of the highway project to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.

“We have heard the complaints from the Kg Felcra Semungkis residents and we admit it is our fault and we apologise.

“It’s our duty to ensure that the mud floods in the area are avoided,” he said during a media briefing at the AZRB office in Kuala Lumpur.

The Malaysian Insight reported today that the residents of Felcra Semungkis, Kg Sg Gahal and Kg Sg Michu have endured a year of flash floods and landslides which started after the EKVE’s construction began in September 2016.

Khalid said they have been having constant engagement with residents there.

“This is not the first time the area has flooded. There were small floods even before construction started.

“We have taken the necessary flood-mitigation measures, such as placing five culverts, deepening and widening of the rivers and flood-retention ponds.”

The stop-work order issued by the Department of Environment (DOE) in October had been lifted on December 8 with conditions, he said.

“However, DOE said work along the Felcra Semungkis area which is about 500m is still on hold until the weather permits.

“We are carrying all the mitigation works and we expect to complete the earthworks in six months.”

Khalid said one cause of the floods is Sg Langat, which overflows and spills over to other rivers.

“The weather for the past two months has been bad. What we are afraid of is that rainfall between 60mm and 80mm will cause the rivers to overflow.”

As for compensation, Khalid said the affected parties will have to lodge a police report and get a letter of consent from their village head before they can process the claims.

“We will have to assess the damage before giving out any compensation. For Felcra Semugkis, we have cleaned up their homes and built temporary drains.

“There was also compensation for the thafiz schools (damaged by floods).

“In Kg Michu, the issue is resolved as we have put in place flood-mitigation measures.”

For Kg Gahai, however, Khalid said no one from the village had approached the company.

The RM1.55 billion East Klang Valley Expressway will be a dual carriageway with toll plazas at five interchanges in Sg Long, Bandar Mahkota Cheras, Hulu Langat, Ampang and Ukay Perdana.

It was given the green light by the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council in August 2015 and had been gazetted in the 2011 MPAJ Draft Local Plan for 2020. – December 15, 2017.