Bernama 12 Feb 09;
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 (Bernama) -- Everyone must seriously endeavour to preserve the environment in carrying out physical development to avoid natural disasters, especially floods, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
The Prime Minister said that in achieving the goal of becoming a developed and prosperous nation, everyone must accept the fact that carrying out physical development without considering environmental sensitivity could contribute to floods.
The floods would have a direct impact on national development, affect the people's wellbeing and lead to environmental pollution, he said.
"The hardships faced by the people as a result of the floods would erode public confidence in the flood mitigation programmes and initiatives implemented by the government in the affected areas," he said in his speech at the launching of the Sungai Damansara Flood Mitigation Project, here, Thursday.
The text of his speech was read by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas.
Also present at the function were Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan and Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Maznah Mazlan.
The Prime Minister said that the frequent floods occurring in Malaysia had been due to the combined factors of the environment and human activity.
"As a country that receives substantial rainfall amounting to 3,000 millimetres a year, it is certainly exposed to the risk of floods," he said.
At the same time, Abdullah said the expansion of flood-prone areas was expected to occur due to the effects of climatic change
The situation would be aggravated if the land was developed without proper planning which could raise the intensity and frequency of the floods.
Abdullah said the outcome of the study, 'National Register of River Basins' in 2003 indicated that 29,799 square kilometres of land in Malaysia were exposed to floodings, which accounted for nine per cent of the total land area in the country and affected almost five million people with an estimated annual losses of RM915 million.
Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, RM5.3 billion had been allocated for the implementation of 163 flood mitigation projects in the country, compared with only RM2.1 billion allocated under the Eighth Malaysia Plan and RM890 million in the Seventh Malaysia Plan, he added.
-- BERNAMA
