PUTRAJAYA had never scrapped the flood mitigation projects but only re-tendered them, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told the Dewan Rakyat today. 

He said the earlier approved flood mitigation projects through direct negotiation had incurred a high cost.  

“I want to emphasise once again here, the flood mitigation project is approved by the respective ministries. Approved with the specified provisions,” the Tambun lawmaker said during the minister’s question and answer time today. 

“I cancelled (the initial agreement) because the cost was high and it was through direct negotiation but the project must continue.

“The flood mitigation project is an urgent project but should not use the direct negotiation method because the cost increases. So we use a limited tender process at the same time, to speed up the process.

“I did not cancel the flood mitigation project but cancelled the (awarding of project through) direct negotiations,” he added.

Anwar was responding to a question from Shahidan Kassim (Arau-PN), who asked why the government had not declared disaster emergency in flood hit states, especially Johor. 

Earlier during the tabling of Budget 2023, Anwar said direct negotiations for flood mitigation projects have only served to “waste the people’s money”, adding that the haste in which the project was approved had led to losses for the country. 

Anwar said the government would re-tender the six flood mitigation projects by June and that RM2 billion could be saved on the projects.

The projects include flood mitigation work at Sungai Johor and Kota Tinggi in Johor, the construction of the Sungai Klang-Sungai Rasau dual-function reservoir in Selangor, and the Phase 3 Sungai Golok integrated river basin development in Kelantan.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Attorney-General Chambers are probing earlier approved projects via direct negotiations. 

Anwar said the move is apolitical and that he would go on to cancel any projects done through direct negotiations. 

“Not only this project but all approved ones, if not signed, I will cancel to ensure we have a tender. That won’t be wrong,” he said.  

In response to Shahidan’s question, Anwar said there is no need for the federal government to declare a disaster emergency for the time being. 

“According to the latest information, including from the National Disaster Management Agency, there is no need for an emergency as the situation is more controlled now than before,” he said. – March 7, 2023.