KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — A total of 141 flood mitigation projects have been approved under Rolling Plan 1 (RP1) of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) as the government implements a structural approach to lower flood risks.
Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the ministry has considered implementation challenges at the ground level, including technical studies, designs based on targeted protection levels, land acquisition, as well as the relocation of utilities.
“These factors affect the project completion timelines and may cause delays,” he said when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill (Budget) 2026 in the Dewan Negara today.
In other developments, he said six water supply projects worth RM1.27 billion had been approved under RP1 of the 13MP.
Meanwhile, Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii said the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) is upgrading its radar observation network in Kuching in Sarawak, Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, and Subang in Selangor to support monitoring and issuance of weather warnings.
He said that in line with technological developments, various dissemination platforms have been used to enhance service delivery to ensure wider and more inclusive information dissemination.
“MetMalaysia has upgraded 23 tsunami sirens and will upgrade 30 tsunami sirens under the 13MP,” he said.
On the National Groundwater Resource Mapping and Development Project (PABT), which began in Kedah as a pilot project from 2021 to 2025 at a cost of RM16 million, Huang said the Minerals and Geoscience Department (JMG) is carrying out systematic aquifer mapping across the state through a combination of geophysical survey methods, groundwater exploration activities and 3D/4D groundwater modelling.
Huang said the study has identified several high-potential aquifer zones, especially in lowland districts and alluvial basins in Kedah, which could be alternative water sources.
He added that the approach adopted by the PABT in Kedah is more practical and cost-effective for the country’s geological conditions and needs, while still capable of producing sufficiently robust 3D/4D aquifer models for planning, protection zoning, and the development of new wells, contrasted with Japan’s 4D aquifer mapping technology.
“The government remains open to selectively leveraging Japanese expertise and technology, but the main focus is to complete baseline mapping and the development of a groundwater database through pilot projects such as PABT Kedah before expanding to other states,” Huang said.
