Flood mitigation project adapted to climate change

THE MINISTRY of Natural Resources and Environment ( MNRE) is reviewing projects under the Flood Mitigation Plans ( RTB) to take into consideration climate change in the country in its implementation.

Its deputy minister, Datuk Hamim Samuri said climate change such as uncertain rainfall should be taken into consideration to give the best project impact to the people.

“New areas of cultivation have caused soil erosion which resulted in rivers getting shallower, which is a common problem we often hear for causing floods.

“But we have to also consider the extraordinary rainfall in a day or within a few hours at one place,” he told Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a supplementary question by Datuk Noor Azmi Ghazali ( BNBagan Serai) who wanted to know the efforts of the government in improving RTB following continuous heavy rain in certain areas.

Earlier, when replying to the original question by Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff ( PAS- Rantau Panjang) on the status of RTB at Sungai Golok, Hamim said it was now at the surveying stage and the project tender would be issued in July.

On Jan 6, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced the government had approved RM800 million to implement two longterm projects to resolve flood problems in Kelantan which comprised RM300 million for the first phase of the flood mitigation project in Sungai Golok while the remaining sum would be utilised to deepen the river mouth and construction of embankments in Sungai Kelantan. — Bernama