GEORGE TOWN: Penang has experienced a total of 119 flash flood incidences since 2013 until Oct 15 this year.
State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said there were 22 flash flood incidences in 2013, 20 cases (2014), 26 cases (2015), 30 cases (2016) and 21 cases between January and Oct 15 this year.
“The majority of the flash flood incidences were mainly reported in the northeast and southwest districts on Penang Island,” he said, answering to a question from Shariful Azhar Othman (BN-Bertam).
Today is the start of the state legislative assembly setting. It will end on Nov 13.
Chow (DAP-Padang Kota) said in the latest massive flash flood incident on Sept 15 this year, the worst in the state’s history, some 119 areas statewide were hit, affecting 5,498 people.
“Extreme heavy rainfall on that particular day, which is equivalent to a whole month of rainfall, high tide and the effects of the Doksari typhoon contributed to the flash flood.
“Rivers and drainage system in some of the residential areas could not accommodate the high water volume.
“Also, the high amount of garbage from domestic, industry and agriculture thrown into the rivers and monsoon drains, resulted in the drainage system not to function properly,” he said.
Earlier, state opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid (BN-Teluk Air Tawar) asked if failure to dispense money to the state Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) had resulted in the drainage system not properly maintained.
“At least RM60 million was not dispensed (as pointed out by the Auditor General’s Report 2016 Series 1).
“If the money had been used, the issue of poor drainage system could have been addressed.
“That way, the people of Penang no need to be badly affected by flash floods each time it rains in the state,” she pointed out.
The Auditor General’s Report 2016 had revealed that the Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) had failed to dispense its drainage contribution to the state DID last year.
The report, which was tabled last July, revealed that as of June last year, the MPSP was still withholding RM22.09 million.
In a related matter, Dr Norlela Ariffin (PKR-Penanti) has proposed that the views of the local elected representatives and the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) be sought when the local authorities approved any earth works for a particular development project.
She said some of the flash flood incidences were not necessarily caused by heavy rainfall.
“So, I proposed that one of the measures to prevent flash floods is for the one-stop-centre to seek the views of the elected representatives and JKKK before approving any earth works as they know the situation best.
Responding, Chow said two of the five districts’ drainage masterplan had been completed.
“Approval for any development project in future will refer to the findings in the masterplan,” he added.
Meanwhile, R.S.N. Rayer (DAP-Seri Delima) proposed that the state government initiate legal proceedings against the Federal government for broken promises, for not dishing out the promised allocation for flood mitigation projects, to Penang.
Chow said the Federal government had only disbursed RM35.59 million under the 11th Malaysia Plan for flood mitigation projects in the state.
“The Federal government has also approved a RM150 million allocation for the Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project.
“A sum of RM500,000 has been given to the DID for initial works.
“We hope the Federal government will continue to disburse the allocation promised to enable us to address flash floods problem in the state.” he added.