Rental discounts, recalibrated sensors now active, says mayor
FOOD court traders affected by the flash floods along Jalan 223 will get one-month rental exemption and a 30% rental discount until December, says Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Zahri Samingon.
He said the traders had declined relocation offers, citing the area’s high visibility and established commercial success.
To protect their businesses, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has installed flood sensors and warning sirens in the drainage system along Jalan 223, specifically adjusting the system to provide earlier alerts.
“We have lowered the sensor threshold to give traders about half an hour’s warning,” Mohamad Zahri said.
“When the water in the drain reaches the set level, the sensor will detect it and the alarm will sound, allowing traders time to move their belongings.”
Meanwhile, Selangor government has kicked off eight priority flood mitigation projects worth RM8.15mil across Petaling Jaya following last Saturday’s severe flash flooding.
The Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) is undertaking five of these projects, while MBPJ is executing three.
These projects are part of an immediate and medium-term flood mitigation plan to address flooding in Petaling Jaya.
Selangor infrastructure and agriculture committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim said the plan was drawn up following a detailed assessment involving the state government, MBPJ, DID, Public Works Department (JKR) and other technical agencies.
“We have allocated RM40.5mil for a flood mitigation plan involving 39 projects across 12 areas to address flood-prone locations under MBPJ, with immediate priority works targeted for completion by the end of the year,” he said.
The plan covers 12 flood hotspots and high-risk areas within Petaling Jaya, with three locations identified as key priorities: Jalan 223 in Section 51A, Kampung Cempaka and the FAS tunnel area along Jalan PJU 1A/4F.
According to Izham, the projects involved river upgrading and capacity enhancement works, the construction of outlet structures, maintenance of drainage systems, rivers and flood retention ponds, as well as the installation of flood warning sirens.
He said the mitigation works at Jalan 223 would address the backflow issue that occurred when Sungai Penchala was unable to cope with high water levels during heavy rainfall.
For the area, DID will carry out five projects, including addressing gaps along Sungai Penchala’s flood wall, while MBPJ will implement three immediate measures, including upgrading monsoon drains and installing flap gates.
Izham said an underground on-site detention (OSD) pond would also be constructed near the Medan Selera area to temporarily store excess water during flash floods.
“The underground OSD pond will have a capacity of about 3,200 cubic metres.”
He said the immediate works at Jalan 223 were expected to be completed by the end of the year, while additional medium-term measures − including works at Taman Aman Park, the installation of pumps and drainage upgrades − would take about a year.
On Kampung Cempaka, Izham said the ongoing Sungai Kayu Ara flood mitigation project, which included pump systems and flood walls, was expected to be completed by January next year.
Meanwhile, the FAS tunnel area along Jalan PJU 1A/4F will receive a RM400,000 flap gate installation to prevent backflow into the drainage system.
Izham said a longer-term solution for the area would involve the construction of an OSD pond costing about RM1.5mil.
