Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has told agencies in Selangor to identify high-risk areas, speed up the clearing of clogged drains and strengthen early warning systems, after chairing a special coordination meeting on the Selangor floods at Parliament House on Thursday (Nov 12).
In a Facebook post after the meeting, Anwar said the agencies must also step up water-level monitoring and make sure flood mitigation projects go ahead as planned. He said he had stressed the importance of maintaining rivers, drains, retention ponds and floodgates.
The meeting also reviewed the needs of flood victims, including evacuation, temporary shelter, supplies of essential items and help for affected families. Anwar said residents’ safety, aid and mitigation work must remain the main priorities.
Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the meeting agreed on four areas of action: strengthening early warning with the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), improving coordination through the state disaster management committee, tackling flash floods through the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, and studying how Kuala Lumpur City Hall manages floods.
Amirudin said he wanted every action carried out immediately, including faster flood mitigation work and drainage upgrades, and that plans must turn into real action rather than remain as discussions. He added that he understood the anxiety of residents who are flooded again and again.
State executive councillors, assemblymen, district officers and agencies including the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), the Public Works Department and the Selangor Implementation Coordination Unit attended the meeting. The Petaling and Kuala Selangor districts are getting special attention as flood-prone areas.
Kuala Selangor has borne the brunt of the latest floods. As of 1.18am on Friday (Nov 13), 1,235 people from 333 families were in six relief centres in the district and 13 people were in a centre in Hulu Selangor, according to the Social Welfare Department’s disaster portal. Another 288 people were in two centres in Hilir Perak, bringing the total to 1,536 people from 421 families. Evacuee numbers in Kuala Selangor first passed 1,000 on Wednesday.
Eligible flood-hit households in Selangor are each entitled to RM3,000 in special aid, made up of RM2,500 from the federal government announced by Anwar on Nov 9 and RM500 from the state. The one-off payments are being handled by the Selangor Implementation Coordination Unit through district disaster management committees chaired by the district officers.