KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 33 high-priority flood mitigation projects will be implemented next year with a cost of RM11.8 billion.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said they include flood mitigation projects at the Sungai Pahang River Basin in Pahang; Sungai Langat Phase 2 in Selangor; Sungai Jelai, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan; and Sungai Likas in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
“Also, Kuching Phase 2 in Sarawak; Baling Phase 2 in Kedah and Phase 2 of the Sungai Kelantan Integrated River Basin Development Project,” he said when presenting Budget 2024 in the Dewan Rakyat.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said letters of acceptance (SST) for 24 projects are expected to be issued from this month, involving a total cost of RM5.1 billion, while the rest will have the SST issued in the first quarter of next year.
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Also, in order to prevent landslide tragedies like the one that occurred in Batang Kali, Selangor late last year, he said the Government has provided RM563 million for the repair of slopes nationwide.
This includes monitoring, prevention and early warning reporting programmes involving more than 2,000 high-risk slopes.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) has been allocated RM300 million for flood preparedness, said.
This includes the RM100 million that will be immediately disbursed using this year’s allocation to facilitate preparation in facing the disaster at the end of this year, he said.
“The Government has also agreed to raise the allocation for the National Disaster Relief Fund for next year to RM200 million from RM100 million this year.
“Nadma will also improve comfort level at relief centres to ensure the welfare of victims,” he said.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the Government will provide nine permanent relief centres, repair toilets, shower rooms and storage facilities at 1,500 temporary relief centres, in addition to providing mobile toilets.
According to him, the Government is also ready to channel additional allocations, if necessary, to ensure the best disaster management.
Anwar said the Government will also upgrade the facilities and medical care provided for the dogs in the K9 unit of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department and recruit more sniffer dogs for the fire department, police force and customs department with an allocation of RM5 million.
“We must all remember Blake, a member of the fire department K9 unit that has left us after dedicating its life to serving the nation,” he said.
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