MCA’s Bangi parliamentary coordinator Datuk Hoh Hee Lee (right) and Balakong state constituency coordinator Tan Chee Teong checking a flood gate connecting Sungai Langat to Taman Mahkota. — By SAMUEL ONG/The Star
RESIDENTS in flood-prone Taman Mahkota, Kajang in Selangor, say that the Sungai Langat river bund next to their neighbourhood is not built properly.
They claimed that the height of the bund was 0.5m shorter than the planned 2m, and that there is gap in one of the flood gates that links the river to their neighbourhood drain.
The residents want to have a meeting with Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) officials to get first-hand information on the matter and an update on long-term flood-mitigation efforts for areas along Sungai Langat.
During a press conference organised by the people behind ACTnow, a community mobile app, resident Peh Kien Min said a planned dialogue with DID on July 22 was postponed indefinitely.
“One of the flood gates does not close properly. So, we are not sure if the bund and flood gates will be able to prevent river water from flooding our neighbourhood.
“In any case, the bund is a temporary measure.
“We have had floods even when there is no rain in our area.
“Sungai Langat is connected to at least seven other tributaries, so we want to know what DID has planned,” said Peh.
He added that the river water level would fluctuate throughout the day.
Koh Hui Gek said there were many elderly people living in the neighbourhood.
“I dread to think what will happen if it floods in the middle of the night.
“People’s lives are at stake and the residents have suffered major losses due to damage caused by floods,” she said.
Also present was MCA’s Kajang state constituency coordinator Chung Wui Fah, who is also Bangi MCA Youth chief.
Chung said he would escalate the matter to DID and arrange for a dialogue with residents.
Act Now Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Melvin Lam said residents were not expecting an overnight solution to the flood problem but wanted to know the short- and long-term flood mitigation plans for Sungai Langat.
When contacted, Selangor tourism, environment, green technology and Orang Asli affairs committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said he would arrange for DID to have a dialogue with the residents in the next two weeks.
He said the project was completed on July 4 and a Hulu Langat DID officer had confirmed that the bund was 2m as planned.
However, he acknowledged that there was a problem with the flood gates installation.
“The contractor will fix it,” said Hee.
