KUALA LUMPUR: The inter-agencies task force on flash floods, formed last year, has outlined a five-year action plan to mitigate its impact which had caused massive losses in many states.
Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Abdul Muttalib said among the initiatives was to upgrade old and unsystematic drainage systems in industrial hotspots using more environmentally-friendly methods.
The action plan also includes updating and coordinating drainage systems, which covered ownership status, maintenance responsibilities, locations and detailed information to ease maintenance works in municipalities.
"Public awareness campaigns through the mass and social media will also be carried (in regards flood issues)," he said during the Dewan Negara question-and-answer session today.
He said the task force, established on June 17, last year, comprised officials from the ministry, along with other agencies like the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), Works Department and the respective state secretary offices.
He said the committee was also discussing and seeking solutions on flash floods with government departments and agencies in areas under local governments.
"The task force has identified several factors contributing to flash floods like old and unsystematic drainage systems. It has also prepared the action plan in municipalities for a five-year period, 2021 to 2025, that would be implemented by the ministry through local government departments, the DID, Works Department, state governments and the respective local councils," he said in in reply to a question from Senator Datuk Razali Idris.
Meanwhile, enforcement actions by the local governments would also be enhanced at project sites to ensure compliance to the DID's Manual for Environmentally-friendly Drainage, Ismail said.
To a supplementary question from Razali, Ismail said immediate measures included cleaning-up drains in areas hit by flash floods.
"The condition of drains in Taman Sri Nanding, Hulu Langat, for instance, was poor upon inspection and we took immediate measures to clean them.
"I have to admit that there were some disputes (on jurisdiction for drainage) between the federal and state governments as some residential projects are not under the jurisdiction of the ministry."