Kuala lumpur: A total of 55 new flood mitigation projects are expected to be completed by 2030, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. This marks a significant increase from the 17 projects anticipated to be finished by 2024. Fadillah, who also serves as the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, outlined these plans as part of the flood mitigation and adaptation strengthening agenda under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the importance of these projects in safeguarding public well-being and enhancing economic sustainability. The agenda includes expediting flood mitigation infrastructure, adopting alternative flood adaptation methods, and strengthening governance mechanisms. Fadillah assured that the implementation of strategies and initiatives under the 13MP will be monitored transparently and systematically to ensure the benefits are realized by the public.
Fadillah highlighted additional goals, such as protecting 846,000 more residents from floods, increasing the total to one million from the current 154,000, and covering an area of 1,400 square kilometers within the plan's timeframe. The 13MP period will also see the construction of four dual-function retention ponds and the development of 12 new integrated river basins.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that while measures are being taken nationwide through structural and non-structural approaches to address flooding, challenges persist. These include the complexity of infrastructure development, high costs, and unintegrated adaptation and governance measures. He pointed out that the ministry faces difficulties in implementing water sector development projects, primarily due to issues like acquiring private land along river stretches and utility relocation works, which require close cooperation with state governments.
To tackle these challenges, Fadillah announced that PETRA has established a special task force dedicated to addressing operational and on-site implementation issues.