SELANGOR has identified 45 flood-prone areas in the state and is taking the necessary measures to curb future incidents like the devastating one last month, Izham Hashim said.

The state infrastructure and agriculture committee chairman told The Malaysian Insight that the state wanted to sort out the flooding problem before rainy season in March, while also undertaking long-term measures to fully solve this problem in the near future.

He said while they have resolved the flood issues in some areas, new hotspots have also emerged.

Izham said these hotspots exist in almost all districts in the state, except for Hulu Selangor and Sabak Bernam.

“The worst areas are Shah Alam, Puchong, Petaling, Gombak, Klang, Hulu Langat and Kuala Selangor.

“This is followed by the more severe districts such as Sepang and Kuala Langat,” he said.

He said the state has already started focusing on immediate flood-prone areas as they expect heavy rainfall in March.

“Short-term flood mitigation projects will involve widening and deepening the rivers and in certain areas we will be strengthening the river bunds to prevent breaches.

“The projects are already ongoing. This will be ready by March. We are expecting heavy rainfall based on the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) forecast, but not as much as during last year’s incident.

“As for the short-term infrastructure projects, it will be ready by December this year.”

On December 7, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said they have approved an immediate allocation of more than RM40 million for flood mitigation projects.

This, he said, would involve rehabilitation and strengthening rivers, slopes as well as road embankments affected by the floods that hit the state last month.

He said RM9.18 million was approved to fund 13 projects under the state Drainage and Irrigation Department, while RM31.7 million was approved by the state government for critical projects such as clearing landslide debris so that shut roads can be reopened.

Amirudin had said all these rehabilitation and repair works were expected to be completed within a month or two.

Izham said currently, Phase 1 of flood mitigation plans for Hulu Langat, which cost RM50 million, is almost completed.

“We have also previously requested RM500 million from the federal government and hope to get them (projects) done this year for Phase 2.”

Future mitigation plans needed

Izham, who is Amanah state rep for Pandan Indah, also said the state government was already looking at flood mitigation plans for the future.

“There is also a long-term project worth RM300 million ongoing in Sungai Buloh.

“The projects can’t be done in a year. It will take easily three to five years.”

As for small projects, he said they have an annual budget of RM70 to RM80 million and an additional RM40 million for maintenance.

He said that a long-term flood mitigation plan will take 10 to 15 years as it will be done in stages focusing on flood-prone areas.

“In the long run it will be able to solve the flood problem. The long-term plans were decided before the big floods hit in December.

“Budget allocation (for big projects) will have to be discussed.”

He also added that the state government would be spending RM400 million to repair all roads in Selangor.

Last year, heavy rainfall before and over the weekend of December 17-18 caused massive flooding in several states, including Selangor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Perak and Pahang.

The floods had displaced more than 70,000 people at its height and killed 54. Selangor was one of the worst-hit states.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob blamed the lack of preparation by the Selangor government and chaos among rescuers for the floods that wreaked havoc in the country’s most populous state last month.

He said that although MetMalaysia had already issued warnings as early as November 1, these warnings went unheeded. – January 21, 2022.