IPOH: The Perak Education Department has requested emergency funds from the Federal Government to repair the drainage system at SMK Lambor Kiri in Perak Tengah in its bid to prevent flash floods.
State education committee chairman Khairudin Abu Hanapiah said the request was made following a visit to the school on Tuesday (Oct 15).
Khairudin, who is also Belanja assemblyman, said the drainage system had not been maintained properly, with water that had flowed into the school premises unable to flow out to a nearby irrigation system properly.
"The water that had collected there became stagnant, inundating the school," he said in a statement on Thursday (Oct 17).
"The school was built on a former padi field and is situated on low terrain.
"The geography and terrain in the area is surrounded by oil palm estates, which caused the final discharge of rainwater from these locations to flow into the school compound.
"The drainage system is unable to accommodate a large amount of rainwater discharge," he added.
The issue was raised earlier during a press conference by Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad here on Thursday (Oct 17).
The school was hit by a flash flood on Oct 5, with water level as high as 0.2m.
Khairudin also said that several measures had been put up near the school to lessen the impact of flash floods in the last two years.
"The Perak Tengah Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) had installed two flap gates on Oct 7, 2022, and on Aug 25, 2023, at the nearby irrigation system to lessen the flash floods.
"Mobile pumps have also been installed to pump out excessive water from the school on Oct 9 this year," he added.
