Floods: New Committee to Assess 9mp Projects

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry will set up a committee soon to assess projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan with a view to making them more environment-friendly and ensuring that they do not contribute to flooding.
Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said the review, to be conducted in the context of mitigating the effects of climate change, would allow for project adjustments to prevent floods.

Other aspects to be looked into include housing construction methods and additional allocations for project modifications, he told reporters after a briefing on the flood situation in Pahang by state police chief Datuk Ayob Mohamed here today. Present was Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

Azmi said the cabinet gave its green light for the establishment of the committee yesterday.

According to him, efforts would also be made to deepen rivers and ensure that they could flow out to sea unimpeded.
Housing projects, he said, may no longer be allowed in low-lying or flood-prone areas.

“Local authorities have been asked to identify such areas,” he said, adding that changes may be made to completed buildings in low-lying locations to allow water to flow freely.

He said the assessment would be conducted until March 2008 and those in charge had three months to come up with their recommendations based on the findings of the study.

“We’ll collaborate with the Economic Planning Unit and professionals such as engineers, architects and housing developers to enable the assessment to be done immediately and effectively,” he added.