Mohd Jafni on a bridge across Sungai Sengkang in Kulai, Johor.
KULAI: The Johor government's climate change preparedness has shown promising results in mitigating the impact of the recent floods in the state, says Johor housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor.
"While some areas remain unaffected, others have experienced only brief inundation.
"This is the first time we have faced continuous heavy rainfall for 36 hours. It highlights how climate change can challenge our disaster management plans, even when we are well-prepared," he said during his visit to a temporary relief centre at SK Senai here on Saturday (Jan 11).
He added that Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi had allocated RM179mil to address over 200 flood-prone areas across all 16 local councils.
"This allocation has had a positive impact. For instance, Taman Aman is no longer affected by floods and Kampung Baru Sengkang, which used to remain flooded for days, now experiences flooding for just six hours," he said.
Mohd Jafni also said local councils had been instructed to regularly clean monsoon drains and drainage systems to reduce the risk of floods.
"Despite our efforts, some areas still flooded, indicating the need for a more sustainable and comprehensive plan to tackle the effects of climate change," he added.
Mohd Jafni also said RM2mil had been allocated for the state disaster fund to aid families affected by floods.
"This is different from the special assistance provided by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma)," he said, urging victims to remain resilient during this challenging time.
He added that as of 7pm, 406 flood victims from 110 families in Kulai have been relocated to temporary relief centres, including SJKC Bukit Batu, Dewanraya Kampung Sri Paya, SK Senai, and Dewanraya Kampung Baru Sengkang.
