KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — Flooding that continues to plague residents in Selangor is unlikely to be resolved for another four years, as the state’s flood mitigation projects remain ongoing and incomplete.
According to Kosmo! Online, State Infrastructure and Agriculture Exco Datuk Izham Hashim said river widening and deepening works are still underway and will take time before delivering a broader impact.
“This flooding issue cannot be resolved in a short period such as one or three months. The process of widening rivers and preparing design plans takes time and must comply with established procedures.
“So it cannot be completed quickly,” he told a press conference at the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (DUN) lobby today.
Izham said Selangor has adopted modern water management technologies from the Netherlands, China and Germany, but their effectiveness is constrained by the state’s high rainfall and rapid development.
He noted that the Netherlands receives between 700 and 900mm of rainfall annually, compared with nearly 3,000mm in Selangor.
“Even though we use technology from overseas, we have to be realistic. Our soil structure, development density and rainfall levels are very different.
“What matters most is not just adopting technology, but how we adapt it to the actual conditions in Selangor,” he said.
Yesterday, Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had again issued a strong rebuke of the state government over persistent flooding during the opening of the state legislative assembly, saying the issue has yet to be effectively addressed despite repeated advice.
