GEORGE TOWN, Nov 5 — Penang has applied for RM28 million to implement three more flood mitigation projects in the state through the Department of Irrigation (DID), Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said today.
He said the flood mitigation projects, to be implemented by DID, are for Teluk Kumbar, Pondok Upeh and Teluk Bahang.
“We have submitted applications to the Finance Ministry for these forthcoming projects and if it is approved, we can follow through with the studies for the flood mitigation projects,” he said in a press conference after launching the groundbreaking ceremony of the Bayan Baru flood mitigation project here.
The Teluk Kumbar, Pondok Upeh and Teluk Bahang flood mitigation projects are expected to cost RM10 million, RM10 million and RM8 million respectively.
Chow said the Budget 2019 did not specify how much allocations will be distributed to each state so it is up to the respective states to bid for a portion of the allocation under each portfolio.
“For example, the allocation of RM50 million for kindergartens, the state can apply to get one or two million of the share,” he said.
He expressed hope that Penang will be able to get a share of the sum allocated for DID to implement the flood mitigation projects.
This will be on top of the RM150 million that the federal government had approved for the Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project.
Earlier, in his speech, Chow said the Sungai Pinang project is set to be launched in April next year.
He also said flood mitigation projects for Penang were not mentioned in the Budget 2019 but he believed that the state can make applications to the federal government for the allocations.
The Penang state government had allocated RM150 million to implement nine high impact projects in the state following the massive floods on November 5 last year.
Chow said the state has already launched six of the eight projects namely; Mak Mandin in North Seberang Perai, Parit 5, Parit 4 and Permatang Rawa in Central Seberang Perai, Taman Iping and the Bayan Baru project in the southwest district on the island.
“We hope to launch the other two, at Kolam Alma in Central Seberang Perai and at Kampung Naran in Balik Pulau in December,” he said.
He said these are structural mitigation projects to resolve flood issues in the state but said there is still a need for non-structural flood mitigation.
He said there must be more awareness on keeping the drainage systems in the state clean from rubbish to prevent floods as blocked and clogged drains are also one of the factors causing floods.
“We need to ensure any development upstream of rivers must have retention pond and erosion sedimentation control plan,” he said.
He said the state has planned more flood mitigation projects in the pipeline which will be implemented over the next five years, hopefully with enough allocation from the federal government.
“In the last 10 years, we have implemented close to RM400 million (worth) of flood mitigation and drainage projects in the state,” he said.
Public works, utilities and flood mitigation committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the Bayan Baru flood mitigation project costs RM20.2 million.
The project will involve the construction of a pump house, a collector drain stretching 1.250km, upgrading of road side drains stretching 3.5km and the construction of a 140m box culvert jacking.
“All these components will reduce flash floods that often occur at Jalan Mahsuri, Persiaran Mahsuri 1, the junction of Jalan Tun Dr Awang, Jalan Mayang Pasir, Jalan Tengah, Jalan Dato Ismail Hashim and also indirectly reduce the magnitude and scale of flood upstream of Sungai Relau,” he said.
Zairil said there are 50 flood hotspots in the state and the DID has already implemented flood mitigation projects in 15 of these spots on the island and mainland.
“The remaining 35 hotspots will be resolved stage by stage through state allocation, drainage contributions and federal allocations,” he said, adding that about RM50 million were already approved for various projects that are now underway.
