RM9mil for anti-flood plans in 2018 Budget

A car passing through a flooded stretch during flash floods which hit Taman Senangin and Kampung Main Road in Prai in May.

THE Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) has allocated RM9.13mil to tackle floods in its 2018 Budget.

Of the amount, RM6.2mil will be used to maintain monsoon drains and water retention ponds while RM1.7mil will be for maintenance of such infrastructure in industrial areas.

MPSP president Datuk Rozali Mohamud said RM250,000 would be used for maintenance of pump houses and flood control.

Besides its own allocation to overcome flooding in the municipality, he said the council would also use RM4.48mil from the drainage contribution fund which it would apply from the state-level Flood Mitigation Committee.

Rozali yesterday tabled a RM24.9mil deficit budget for 2018 for MPSP at the full council meeting at the MPSP headquarters in Bandar Perda.

He said the amount to be spent next year was estimated at RM293,468,850 on a projected income of RM268,560,059.

The projected income comprised tax revenue of RM185,905,147, non-tax revenue (RM72,654,912) and non-revenue receipts (RM10,000,000).

The projected expenses comprised management expenses amounting to RM278,452,717, development expenses (RM6,760,130) and capital assets (RM8,256,003).

A big chunk of the expenditure, totalling RM102.17mil or 34.8% of the budget, will go towards cleaning works and solid waste disposal.

Rozali said RM2mil would be used to rent closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) which would be installed at various places in the municipality as a security measure to prevent crime and illegal rubbish dumping as well as to monitor traffic.

He said RM300,000 was allocated to build pedestrian walkways and bicycle lanes.