KUALA LUMPUR – Long-term measures carried out through the Flood Mitigation Plan (RTB) will continue to reduce flooding risk in the country, Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man told Parliament today.
He said a total of 100 RTB projects, worth RM10.53 billion, which had been approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan were being implemented nationwide.
“The RTB projects will reduce the number of people and areas that will be affected by floods,” he said in response to Tengku Zulpuri Raja Puji’s (Raub-PH) question on the government’s plans to deal with the possibility of major floods following the La Nina phenomenon, northeast monsoon and unexpected rainfall.
He said the Drainage and Irrigation Department is also focused on short-term, low-cost, high-impact solution works, such as drainage maintenance, river deepening and raising river embankments to reduce the impact of floods.
According to him, the department has also made preparations for the monsoon season with the provision of 284 pumps, 203 vehicles and 35 boats, 995 telemetry stations in the peninsula, as well as 317 stations in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, and also 526 warning sirens.
Apart from that, Tuan Ibrahim said a non-structural approach to flood management planning was also implemented through Phase 3 of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Programme, worth RM450 million, which involves 74 flood forecasting and warning models for major river basins throughout the country.
Meanwhile, he said, based on the forecast by the Malaysian Meteorological Department, the monsoon episode that brings continuous heavy rain would occur from this November until March 2023.
The west coast states would also experience continuous rain if the monsoon rains increase and there is a low-pressure system like last year, he added. – Bernama, October 5, 2022
