SHAH ALAM, Nov 17 — Thirty-four flood mitigation projects statewide, valued at RM241.6 million, have been completed to boost Selangor’s disaster preparedness ahead of the monsoon season, said state executive councillor for infrastructure and agriculture Dato’ Izham Hashim.
He added that 39 more projects, costing RM383.35 million in state funds, are at various stages of completion.
“Eighteen flood mitigation projects under the federal government are also underway, with an allocation of RM3.462 billion,” he said in reply to Subang Jaya assemblyman Michelle Ng Mei Sze’s question during the Selangor State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.
Izham also said the state government has approved 127 “quick-win” projects to the tune of RM27.94 million, with most of them completed in the last two months. He said these projects include river and retention pond excavation works to improve water flow.
“Fifty flood mitigation works worth RM14.1 million in state development funds are also underway, involving riverbank stabilisation and strengthening works, river and beach maintenance, and sluice gate and pumphouse maintenance.
“As the monsoon approached, we held a special meeting around September or October for flood preparedness, which was attended by flood management stakeholders like the Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS), local authorities, and district offices,” he said.
Izham added that flood preparedness included checks on important flood management components such as sluice gates, pumphouses, and mobile pumps.
“There are 353 sluice gates, 27 submersible pumphouses, 26 screw pumphouses, 115 high-capacity moving pumps and 34 high-capacity semi-permanent moving pumps,” he said.
He also said Selangor JPS has activated its Northeast Monsoon Weather Monitoring Operations Team to survey rain telemetry stations, water levels, sirens, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
“Everyone can access this information through the Selangor JPS InfoBanjir website, with the annual operations cost borne by the state and federal governments,” Izham added.
Previously, media reports said that more than 9,800 Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) personnel are ready to face floods during the northeast monsoon.
