KOTA BARU, Jan 28 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said, apart from the Sungai Kelantan Integrated River Basin Development Project (PLSB) Phase 1 costing RM572 million, the government will also undertake a flood mitigation project along Sungai Golok.
He said the flood mitigation project along Sungai Golok has been listed as one of the projects to be implemented in the state to benefit the residents in reducing the effects of the state’s perennial flooding issue.
“The flood mitigation project in the Golok river basin is another project altogether but it is also in our list. We will do it when it’s time and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) is carrying out study on this project to be implemented,” he said.
He said this at a press conference after a meeting with federal and state civil servants at the Wisma Persekutuan here today.
The event was also attended by International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, State Federal Development Department director Yahaya Mamat and more than 10,000 civil servants.
Last December, Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Dr Hamim Samuri was quoted as saying that the federal government would implement flood mitigation project costing RM300 million, along Sungai Golok in Tumpat this year to address the stagnant flood waters in the area.
Hamim also said that the 26-km long flood mitigation project would commence at Pengkalan Kubor to Kuala Jambu in Tumpat.
Commenting on PLSB, Najib said the government was also considering to implement the Phase 2 and 3 of the project to mitigate the impact of the disaster among 100,000 residents in Tumpat, Pasir, Kota Bharu and Machang who were affected by the floods.
“The flood prevention problem will not be fully resolved unless we implement Phase 2 and 3 and also to address the cause which is the upstream part of the river.
“This will be our future consideration, subject to our financial capability. Our commitment to Kelantan is indeed high and we will do it based on our promise to the people of Kelantan,” he said.
The Sungai Kelantan PLSB Phase 1 project, is expected to prevent more than 100,000 villagers in Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Bahru, Tanah Merah and Machang from being evacuated due to floods and also protect the infrastructure and public property along the 10-km stretch of the river bank. — Bernama
