Press conference by MCA Selangor about floods issue at Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam. —Low Lay Phon/The Star
SHAH ALAM: Selangor MCA has formed a special task force to channel the voices and demands of the Taman Sri Muda flood victims to the authorities.
MCA vice president and Selangor liaison committee chairman Datuk Lawrence Low said the task force would coordinate with authorities, consistently update status of floods and analyse related data.
"The task force, led by Selangor MCA, will also include residents affected by floods.
"Our main demand is for the Selangor government to update its policies on drain and flood management, as the previous flood mitigation projects didn't seem to be effective," he said during a press conference at MCA Selangor liaison committee's office in Shah Alam on Friday (May 9).
He also questioned the progress of the flood mitigation project in Taman Sri Muda.
"Has the project been completed? Does it meet required standards?
"The Selangor government has spent millions on drainage, irrigation and water management, but floods are still occurring.
"The disaster is also affecting places outside Taman Sri Muda, such as Puchong, Seri Kembangan, Sepang and Sungai Buloh. It is no longer a seasonal problem but a large-scale crisis," he said.
Also present was former Shah Alam City Council councillor Ivan CK Tee, who urged the state government to build at least two new flood prevention systems at the bend of Sungai Klang near Taman Sri Muda to prevent water from entering the residential area.
"Taman Sri Muda is about 1m lower than several areas around it. Hence, water from these places tends to flow there due to the insufficient capacity of the existing flood prevention systems.
"The new systems need to be equipped with facilities such as tidal gates, pump houses, retention ponds and bunds to channel excessive water back into the river during heavy rains," he said.
The press conference was also attended by about 50 Taman Sri Muda residents, with some of them sharing their experience facing floods.
Mohamed Ismail, 80, said he worries every time it rains heavily.
"Our homes start flooding after two hours of heavy rain. Some houses even face floods every week.
"We suffered from a lot of losses due to the recurring floods. Our furniture gets damaged and cleaning up the house after floods is a hassle," he said.
Another resident, Quah Saw Choon, 60, criticised the state government for poor river and drain maintenance.
"During low tide, you can walk across the river as it is so shallow. The state government should clear the sediment to maintain the river's capacity.
"We don't want to live in fear anymore. We demand swift action," said Quah, who is also Kota Raja Wanita MCA president.
Taman Sri Muda residents have been bearing with recurring floods since 1995, with the latest incident happening in April this year.
