Kuala Lumpur: The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) expects the flood mitigation project to be completed as much as 12 months ahead of schedule, with support from various parties.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof stated that PETRA is committed to expediting flood mitigation initiatives to address the increasing risk of floods, particularly in disaster-prone areas. He highlighted that the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) is exploring methods to accelerate the project while ensuring cost and time efficiency. In his statement during Ministerial Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat, he mentioned that proposals are being considered to expedite processes such as land acquisition and design reviews to hasten project completion.

Fadillah was responding to a question from Datuk Dr Alias Razak (PN-Kuala Nerus) regarding the ministry’s response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s directive to fast-track flood mitigation projects. He also addressed concerns about the financial implications resulting from the cancellation of the project approval process at the end of 2022.

Further elaborating, Fadillah explained that the government reassessed proposed flood mitigation projects post-2022, focusing on critical areas based on administrative processes, contract allocations, and compliance with procurement procedures established by the Ministry of Finance. Under the Fifth Rolling Plan (RP5) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), 136 flood mitigation projects have been approved, totalling RM22.86 billion, with 35 projects in the pre-implementation stage and 73 currently underway.

In response to Alias’ supplementary question about the flood mitigation project in Sungai Golok, Kelantan, Fadillah clarified that the project remains in the pre-implementation phase due to the involvement of various ministries and agencies. He noted that the National Security Council (MKN) plans to secure borders with a fence, necessitating a coordinated approach. A meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary to the Government was conducted with state and federal agencies to align plans for both the flood mitigation project and border fencing, resulting in a clear direction and agreed timelines.