PUTRAJAYA, Nov 9 — Uncontrolled development is among the causes of the recent flash floods in Penang, says Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He said the uncontrolled implementation of projects had caused silt runoff into the drainage system and rivers.

“The state government needs to ensure the implementation of sustainable development programmes which take into consideration the welfare of the people and not point fingers at the federal government whenever flash floods occur.”

He told this to reporters after attending the ministry’s monthly assembly and Innovation Day celebration at Wisma Sumber Asli, here, today.  

Wan Junaidi stressed that the implementation of flood-mitigation projects could not guarantee flash floods would not recur if rapid development in the river basin catchment areas was not controlled at the source.                            

Penang was hit by flash floods and landslides five times in a month and on Monday, the road linking the city centre with Teluk Bahang was closed to traffic following a landslip at Jalan Ujung Batu, Teluk Bahang.

Wan Junaidi said hydraulic studies showed that the existing size of Sungai Pinang could not accommodate the water flow from the source during heavy rain in the catchment areas.     

He said the river should be deepened, widened and had it banks stabilised so that it could accommodate the average water flow level over a 100-year period.

“The flood impact on the Sungai Pinang basin will become worse if the drainage system of the main rivers is upgraded without taking into consideration the upgrading of Sungai Pinang,” he said.

Wan Junaidi said under the 11th Malaysia Plan, the federal government approved RM150 million for the Sungai Pinang flood-mitigation programme in the second rolling plan with a ceiling of RM1 million in 2017. 

“The initial works will be carried out next year,” he said.

Meanwhile, Wan Junaidi said the Department of Environment’s report on pig waste pollution in Sungai Giling at Kampung Batu Laut in Sepang, Selangor was expected to be completed in three days.

He had directed the DOE director-general to conduct an investigation and to find the best ways to overcome the problem for the wellbeing of villagers there.

“We will wait for the report and its recommendations for us to hold discussions with all the parties concerned on whether to relocate the pig farms to another suitable site further away from human settlements.

“The matter needs to take into consideration the interests of all parties,” he said.

Earlier, Wan Junaidi launched the Online Consent System, which is under the purview of the Lands and Mines Department director-general for a uniform application form to facilitate the public’s dealings with land administration and to expedite the transfer of ownership, mortage and leasing in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan.

The online consent system and uniform form can be accessed online anytime and anywhere. 

The processing period has also been targeted to be reduced from 14 days to just three days.

Apart from that, the new application form will only have 42 items compared to 72 in the old form and the supporting documents required have been reduced from 40 to between 8 and 19 only. — Bernama