KUALA LUMPUR: It is up to the respective states to gazette a location under their jurisdiction as flood hot spots, says Nga Kor Ming.
The Housing and Local Government Minister said that under Article 74 of the Federal Constitution, the administration of all land matters comes under the respective states' purview.
"As such, gazetting a flood risk area as a zone that is prohibited from development comes under the states’ jurisdiction.
"The gazetting of the area is to be done by the respective Mentri Besar or Chief Minister based on the status of the land such as whether is under state, federal or private land ownership," Nga said in a written reply to a question raised by Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng (BN-Tanjung Piai) in Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Feb 6).
Wee wanted to know the consideration given by the ministry for gazetting an area as flood hot spots and the plans to tighten the laws to restrict land use to minimise flooding.
Nga said that a location could be deemed a high-risk flood area by local authorities if it is hit by floods more than three times in three consecutive years.
"The ministry is only responsible for upgrading irrigation and drainage through the Local Government Department in an area which has been identified by the local councils as a flood hot spot," he added.
He said that several factors, such as the policy and legal impacts, must be considered before an area is gazetted as a flood hot spot by the state.
He added that this is done to gauge the impact on the surrounding area and the local community.
Also considered is the high cost of compensation the state has to bear if the land is privately owned, he said.
Future development plans of the area surrounding the affected area and its impact are also factors taken into account, Nga added.
