RM392bil IS needed for 365 flood mitigation projects, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. The estimate, identified by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, aims for comprehensive flood planning.
This figure has stunned some Malaysians on social media. Some are saying it is time for the government to get on with mitigating the flood problem in the country.
For information, the SMART Tunnel in Kuala Lumpur, operational since 2007, has reduced flood risks over 600 times, saving the country over RM4.3bil in losses.
This amount in question needed for fixing the flood problem has been discussed among politicians and social media users alike since 2022. The floods have unfortunately been a yearly occurrence predominantly in northern Malaysia.
Back in 2022, users were sharing mixed views along with sarcasm towards the RM392bil needed to help with flood mitigation.
An X user responded by saying opposition members called these unfortunate disasters “act of God”. They sarcastically added that there is no point in mitigating it if the state leaders were feeling as such back in 2022.
I can recall pas Idris Ahmad said this is all the god wish…so why need to mitigate the flood?
— 웃음Laughing Loo笑い (@laughing_loo33) September 5, 2022
Now, some users state that it would be better to listen to the professionals and move the houses to a better location. However, if this is done, the cost would be astronomical, as building new properties and rehousing thousands of people is not an easy task.
Jika ikut cadangan professional local lagi baik semua pindah rumah lagi selamat
— GIN(18)TOM (@1Blue_Green) December 7, 2024
The current flood situation in Kelantan is the worst in history, according to police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat.
The number of evacuees across nine states has risen to 142,684, with six fatalities reported. Kelantan is the hardest hit with 87,788 victims. The floods have caused widespread disruption, including the closure of 27 General Operations Force posts and 10 police stations in Tumpat and Rantau Panjang.
Nevertheless, a user on Facebook blamed the flood situation on excessive construction.
The user, Hamzah Asyrani Sulaiman, said: “Development seems haphazard, with no restrictions on developers building tall structures everywhere.
“The council just approves everything without proper planning – even hillside areas are being built on recklessly. What is going on?” — Dec 7, 2024
Main photo credit: Bernama
