Floods: Melaka sets up special task force to find immediate solution - Exco

MELAKA: A special task force has been set up to find an immediate solution to the state's flood woes.

State Works, Transport, Public Facilities, Infrastructure and Flood Management Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman said the special team, chaired by him, would also comprise relevant state agencies.

"Apart from long-term and medium-term solutions, the team will find immediate solutions for cases that can be expedited and that do not incur high costs in the identified flood hotspots," he said after joining Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to visit flood victims at the temporary evacuation centre (PPS) at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seri Pengkalan Alor Gajah early today.

Rahmad said that, so far, there were 27 flood-prone hotspots in the state and some of them needed immediate solutions.

For example, he said some of them could be resolved immediately through the construction of bunds or alternative drainage routes to ensure smooth water flow.

"This is what we are working on, whatever can be solved first we will expedite them because there are areas like Lubok Cina, which has never been flooded for 50 years that was affected this time," he said.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali had previously said that the federal government had approved eight projects worth RM931.2 million to overcome Melaka's flood woes.

According to him, the eight projects are the Sungai Melaka Flood Mitigation Project (RTB) Phase 1, upgrading of the Krubong Flood Mitigation Pool, RTB Sungai Duyong, RTB Alor Gajah Phase 1, RTB Jasin, RTB Merlimau, preparation of the Sungai Duyong basin hazard map and the master plan study of the RTB Sungai Sungai Baru.

Meanwhile, Rahmad said the planned flood mitigation projects were expected to solve the flood problems in stages within three to five years.

"We hope that with the completion of all these planned projects, part or 80 per cent of the flood problems in Melaka will be resolved," he said.

-- BERNAMA