KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said he is considering an internal audit to resolve the cause for the massive flooding problems in Klang earlier this month.
He said the Selangor Economic Action Council had met last week to discuss ways to improve flood prevention measures and it had decided that an “internal audit” by the local government council and the state Engineering Department would be the best way to move forward.
Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Hamim Samuri faulted the flash floods in Klang on the poor drainage system, The Star reported earlier today.
Separately, Klang MP Charles Santiago said in an emergency motion tabled in Parliament’s special chamber today that there may have been an element of corruption involved when the brand new retention pond did not function adequately.
Azmin said he had previously proposed to the National Economic Council chaired by Datuk Seri Najib Razak to use federal funds under the Malaysian Road Records Information System (Marris) to upgrade the “undersized” state sewage system to better cope with floods brought on by climate change.
“But we can’t because the procedure in Marris can only be used to maintain the present sewage system,” he said.
However, he was optimistic that the prime minister may still consider his proposal.
Earlier today, Charles said in an emergency motion notice that there was possibly “an element of misappropriation or bribery” and asked the Drainage and Irrigation Department to implement a new flood mitigation plan as well as to carry out an audit to identify the system’s weaknesses.
Charles said that on May 15, his constituency was inundated by severe flash floods, causing two-thirds of the area to be submerged in water.
He added that heavy rainfall that merely lasted 30 minutes resulting in flooding and affected close to 20 housing areas, including the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital.
