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ADVANCED technology and a new channel for flood aid distribution will be introduced to battle worsening floods due to climate change, which cost Malaysia billions in recovery and mitigation.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said planning alone won’t solve the country’s flooding problems, and scientific solutions are crucial to mitigating the increasing impact of climate change.
“We know what is happening is global warming and climate change … we are trying scientifically and using technology to reduce the impact,” Zahid said at the Lido Flood Mitigation Project in Kota Kinabalu.
The government has committed RM22 billion on flood mitigation nationwide as outlined under the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021-2025), targetting flood prone areas like Penampang and Putatan, which face four flood incidents annually.
“For example, here in this area, floods occur four times a year, and several steps have been taken for mitigation.
“However, there are still packages one, two, and three, and also two and four that are being listed for implementation so flood problems in Kota Kinabalu, particularly in Penampang and Putatan, can be resolved.
“We need an additional RM800 million and this will be included in the 13th Malaysia Plan for implementation,” he said.
Zahid, who is also the Federal Rural and Regional Development Minister, said new technology would be crucial in flood control, particularly in enhancing early warning systems.
The initiative will involve scientific methods for flood prediction, leveraging data from the Malaysian Meteorological Department, Drainage and Irrigation Department and Mineral and Geoscience Department.
This proactive approach aims to improve disaster preparedness and reduce casualties by issuing alerts in advance, he said.
Zahid said several new Permanent Evacuation Centres would also be built in high-risk areas, including Belaga, Sarawak, to reduce reliance on schools as temporary shelters.
“Indeed, PPS (Temporary Evacuation Centers) mainly use schools, but the schools do not have adequate facilities to accommodate flood victims,” he said.
He noted that schools currently used as shelters lack basic facilities such as proper toilets, kitchens, and sleeping arrangements, leading to post-flood cleaning and repair costs that disrupt school operations.
The new permanent centres will feature comprehensive amenities, including toilets, kitchens, and sleeping quarters, ensuring also that schools can resume classes faster after floods, he said.
Zahid admitted to minor coordination issues between the federal and state governments but stressed that delays in project completion were mainly due to utility construction and land acquisition.
“We acknowledge that there were issues, but when I went down to Sabah and Sarawak, most of these problems were resolved.
“The delays are mostly related to utility construction and land acquisition,” he said.
For instance, he said the Penampang and Putatan packages, initially scheduled for March 2026, are now delayed to June 2026.
Zahid assured that Sabah DID is monitoring progress of the packages to avoid further setbacks.
In a major shift, Zahid announced that wang ehsan (cash aid) will now be distributed directly to flood victims through Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), bypassing traditional local committees such as JKKK and JPKKP.
“No longer through the commercial system via the District Office and JKK or JPKKP… they can go to Bank Simpanan Nasional to claim the wang ehsan aid,” Zahid said.
The change aims to improve efficiency and transparency, as well as ensuring the aid reaches affected victims faster, and without administrative delays, he said.
Zahid said the governance system for disbursing cash aid was also adjusted to allow flood victims who chose not to evacuate to receive aid directly.
“There was a request from the Sabah and Sarawak governments (on this matter),” said Zahid, adding that the process only needs to improve on the verification system.
Zahid announced improved coordination among NGOs and volunteers by giving the welfare department (JKM) and Angkatan Pertahanan Awam (APM) the authority to organize and synchronise relief operations.
“We are working on addressing the issue of coordination in terms of activities by NGOs and volunteers, and we have given coordination authority to JKM and also the Civil Defence Force to ensure the coordination of this aid,” he said.
This aims to eliminate duplicate efforts and ensure a more organised aid distribution process during disasters, he said. - February 24, 2025.