THE recurring floods in Selangor, particularly in Kampung Melayu Subang, are becoming increasingly alarming, with residents reportedly having to endure four flood incidents within a single month.
These incidents not only cause considerable inconvenience but also result in property damage, financial losses and disruption to families’ daily lives.
More distressingly, some residents have barely had time to clean up and restore their homes after one flood before being hit by another.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently directed that the implementation of the Sungai Buloh and Sungai Damansara Flood Mitigation Projects (RTB), with a combined allocation of nearly RM700mil, be expedited.
Selangor MCA acknowledges that these projects have received Federal Government approval and that some implementation works are already underway.
However, the question remains: will these projects genuinely address the longstanding flood problems affecting Selangor residents?
We don't want a situation where projects worth hundreds of millions of ringgit become merely temporary solutions that fail to effectively reduce flood risks.
At the same time, the impact of Selangor’s rapid development cannot be overlooked.
The construction of residential, commercial and industrial areas, as well as new infrastructure needs to be accompanied by better drainage planning and water management because uncontrolled development can further increase the risk of flooding.
The Selangor Government also needs to ensure that all development projects take into account their impact on surrounding areas, particularly water flow and drainage systems.
Flood prevention cannot rely solely on RTB infrastructure projects; it requires more comprehensive and well-coordinated development planning.
The Federal Government and the Selangor Government need to adopt a more holistic approach rather than focusing solely on accelerating physical RTB projects.
Residents deserve a long-term solution.
The Government needs to demonstrate that this nearly RM700mil allocation will deliver tangible improvements to guarantee that their homes, belongings and families’ safety will no longer be at risk every time it rains heavily.
Datuk Ir Lawrence Low
MCA Selangor state liaison committee chairman
MCA vice-president
