By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Mar 2: A total of ten Flood Mitigation Plan (RTB) projects valued at RM3.34 billion are at various stages of implementation in Sarawak, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
In addition to Sarawak, 29 projects in the East Coast worth RM9.377 billion have been identified and are at various stages of implementation, while 15 projects worth RM1.49 billion are being carried out in Sabah.
Fadillah, who is also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, said that the projects include the construction of mitigation structures such as river bunds, flood walls, retention ponds, water control gates, and pumping systems.
“Overall, a total of 140 RTB projects (nationwide) have been approved, including new and continuing projects,” he said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today in response to Datuk Siti Zailah Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang) regarding improvements and allocation amounts to address climate change and flood management in high-risk areas.
The Petra Jaya MP said that as part of improvements, the design of RTB projects now incorporates the Climate Change Factor (CCF) into technical calculations to ensure that each project implemented is more resilient and capable of withstanding the future impacts of climate change.
To reduce the risk of stagnant flooding, he said the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) also deployed 606 mobile pump units nationwide involving assets from both State DID and DID Malaysia to expedite water pumping during prolonged heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, Fadillah also said that his ministry, through DID, is carrying out integrated planning via the Flood Mitigation Master Plan (PITB), with 12 being carried out in Sarawak and Sabah, and 14 being implemented or are currently underway in the East Coast region.
“The number of PITBs will continue to increase based on the validity period of land-use change plans, population growth, as well as the rising frequency and intensity of rainfall.
“Overall, the implementation of these measures reflects the government’s continued commitment to strengthening the nation’s resilience to climate change and ensuring more systematic, comprehensive, and effective flood management in high-risk areas,” he said. — DayakDaily
