KUALA LUMPUR: Flood mitigation projects are factoring in climate change to improve their overall effectiveness, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof says.
Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said the approach aims to ensure the projects are more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
"The ministry, through the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID), is carrying out flood mitigation with measures such as river bunds, flood walls, retention ponds, control gates, and pumping systems," he said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (March 2).
He was responding to Datuk Siti Zailah Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang) on measures to manage flood risks and stagnant floodwater from the ongoing monsoon until March 2026, improvements and funding for climate change initiatives, and flood management in high-risk areas, especially on the East Coast and in Sabah and Sarawak.
He said 140 flood mitigation projects have been approved, including new projects and extensions of existing ones.
He said 29 projects worth RM9.377bil have been identified on the East Coast, 15 projects worth RM1.49bil in Sabah, and 10 projects worth RM3.34bil in Sarawak, all at various stages of implementation.
Meanwhile, Fadillah said DID is also carrying out integrated planning through the Flood Mitigation Master Plan (PITB), with 14 PITBs identified on the East Coast and 12 more in Sabah and Sarawak.
The number of PITBs is expected to rise in line with the plan's duration, land use changes, population growth, and the latest rainfall frequency and intensity," he said.
To tackle stagnant flooding, he said the DID has deployed 606 mobile pumps nationwide to accelerate drainage during prolonged heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, Fadillah said the government has allocated around RM189.9mil this year for nationwide quick-win measures, including river dredging and maintenance. - Bernama
