KUALA LUMPUR: State governments and local authorities have been reminded to follow federal flood master plans when drawing up development proposals, especially in high-risk areas.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (pic) said flood risk plans drawn up under the Flood Mitigation Master Plan (PITB) should guide where and how new projects are allowed.
"Once these plans and guidelines are in place, they must be followed so that we can reduce flood risks," he told the Dewan Rakyat during Question Time on Monday (March 2).
"That is why close cooperation between district councils, local authorities, state governments and the Federal Government is so important," he said in reply to Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (Perikatan-Rantau Panjang).
Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said the Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS) is carrying out a mix of structural and non-structural measures, including in high-risk areas in the east coast, Sabah and Sarawak, with climate change factored into planning.
On the non-structural side, he said work includes floodplain data management, land use planning, development control, flood hazard and risk mapping, and early warning and public awareness programmes.
Structural measures are implemented under the Flood Mitigation Plan (RTB), which covers physical works such as river bunds, floodwalls, retention ponds, control gates and pump systems.
Fadillah said 14 PITB plans have been drawn up for the east coast, while Sabah and Sarawak have a combined 12 PITB that are either completed or being implemented.
"So far, 140 RTB projects have been approved, including new and continuation projects," he said.
"For the east coast, 29 projects worth RM9.377bil have been identified and are at various stages of implementation. In Sabah, there are 15 projects involving RM1.49bil, while in Sarawak there are 10 projects worth RM33.4bil, also at different stages of implementation," he added.
He said recent RTB designs already incorporate a climate change factor to make projects more resilient to extreme weather.
To deal with "banjir termenung" (stagnant floodwater), especially in low-lying areas, Fadillah said JPS has deployed 606 mobile pumps nationwide, using both federal and state assets.
"This is to speed up pumping operations during continuous heavy rain," he said.
