GEORGE TOWN – Jawi rep H’ng Mooi Lye today urged the Penang government to file a counterclaim against the Kedah government over the Sg Muda water issue.
H’ng (Jawi-DAP) said his constituency often faces constant flooding, among other issues, due to land and hill clearing taking place in Relau, Kedah.
“They aggressively remove soil from the hills, which causes water to enter the river when there is a heavy downpour.
“The amount of fast and high water flowing has also affected existing structures such as bridges,” he said when debating the Penang Budget 2022 at the state assembly sitting today.
Lee Chun Kit (Pulau Tikus-DAP) then interjected and asked if Kedah should also pay compensation to Penang for the problem.
H’ng said that Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor often mentioned the water issue, and this time Jawi wanted to demand compensation from Kedah.
“The menteri besar always mentions ‘water, water’ which does not make sense at all. Penang is a sovereign state under the federation.
“If they want to demand, Jawi also wants to demand from Kedah,” he said while being greeted by applause from the majority of state assemblymen.
H’ng said he understood that the state Irrigation and Drainage Department had prepared a long-term plan to overcome the flood problem in Jawi, with actions including the building of catchment ponds upstream and downstream of the river.
He also thanked the state government for providing a budget of RM33.72 million to the state Irrigation and Drainage Department in the 2022 budget for flood mitigation projects in the state. – The Vibes, November 29, 2021
