Kuala lumpur: Flood risk has now been made one of the key factors in the technical assessment process for all new housing projects nationwide to ensure that buyers do not become victims of developments in flood-prone areas, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said. He stated that all development applications submitted through the One Stop Centre (OSC) must undergo a comprehensive evaluation by technical agencies, including the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), to ensure that drainage and flood mitigation aspects are considered before approval is granted.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fadillah emphasized that this assessment refers to the Flood Mitigation Master Plan and Annual Flood Report to ensure that local infrastructure can handle the impact of climate change, which has led to increased rainfall intensity and rising sea levels. He was responding to Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau), who inquired about the flood risk status of housing projects to prevent buyers from purchasing homes in flood-prone areas in the future.
Fadillah explained that development control also considers the State Structure Plan (RSN) and Local Plan (RT), which outline policies and land-use suitability, including the identification of flood-risk zones. For new projects, drainage system designs must comply with the Manual for Environmental-Friendly Drainage (MSMA), which emphasizes an integrated rainwater management approach, such as retention ponds and eco-friendly elements, to reduce the risk of flash floods.
He noted that older housing developments, built before the enforcement of MSMA, often lack adequate flood control systems, leaving them more vulnerable to risks during periods of unusually heavy rainfall. Improving drainage systems in these older residential areas requires action from various parties, including state governments and local authorities, to evaluate and upgrade the capacity of existing systems.
Fadillah also mentioned that the 41st meeting of the National Physical Planning Council (MPFN) on April 17, 2023, agreed that the Environmentally-Friendly Drainage Master Plan (PISMA) would be adopted by all state governments and local authorities as a guide for planning and implementing more systematic and sustainable land development projects. PISMA serves as a reference for upgrading and building drainage systems and for planning future developments in a more structured way to reduce flash flood risks and control pollution caused by development.
In response to a supplementary question from Muhammad Bakhtiar regarding the status of Phase 2 of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Programme (PRAB), Fadillah stated that a total of 38 major river basins are currently being monitored to strengthen early warnings and protect high-risk residential areas. The programme is implemented by the DID under the National Forecasting and Warning System, which can forecast floods up to seven days in advance and issue warnings two days before floods occur.
He added that the PRAB involves major river basins nationwide, developed in three phases between 2015 and 2030. Phase 1, involving Sungai Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang, is already operational; Phase 2, involving 33 basins in the Peninsula and five in Sabah and Sarawak, is expected to be completed in 2028. Phase 3 will comprise 33 basins in Sabah and Sarawak between 2025 and 2030.
Currently, the PRAB monitors 1,798 hydrology telemetry stations, 614 flood warning systems, and 197 monitoring cameras operating around the clock in flood hotspots, with 3,683 high-risk locations identified. In response to a supplementary question from Datuk Abdul Khalib Abdullah (PN-Rompin) about creating an integrated flood risk map data portal for each housing project, Fadillah said that historical flood data, risk areas, and technical development information have been provided to the OSC and state technical committees. This data can be referred to by buyers or developers to understand the status of an area, while the DID is expanding collaboration with state governments to ensure development planning takes into consideration flood risks and appropriate mitigation measures.