Malaysia: Project to widen Linggi river to solve Seremban's flash flood woes

New Straits Times 21 Nov 17;

KUALA LUMPUR: The flash flood which hit Seremban town on Nov 10 was due to unusually heavy rain, with 114mm falling from 5pm to 8pm, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Monday.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said clogged drains and a poor drainage system hampered the movement of water towards the Temiang river, resulting in an overflow at main roads in the town.

“The floodwaters subsided after 40 minutes. (In housing areas, the flood) was caused by a poor drainage system, which could not accommodate excessive running water capacity during heavy rains.

"The flash flood only occurred for three hours and fully receded (after) 8pm," he said in a reply to a question from Teo Kok Seong (DAP-Rasah) during ministers’ question time in the Dewan Rakyat.

He added that the state government has carried out large-scale cleaning of rubbish indiscriminately disposed of by the public, which led to drains being clogged.

Teo had asked the Natural Resources and Environment Minister to state in detail the causes of the severe flood in Seremban town, Taman Jesper Jaya, Taman Mutiara Galla and other areas on Nov 10; and the measures being taken by the government to mitigate floods and ensure that relief aid had reached all victims.

Wan Junaidi added that there are 107 flash flood hotspots in Negri Sembilan.

“We have a plan to widen the Linggi river with a RM75 million (project) and hopefully, it will help solve the flash flood issue,” he said.

The deluge had struck low-lying areas of the town and surrounding residential districts, temporarily paralysing the communities there. Reporting by FARHANA SYED NOKMAN, FERNANDO FONG AND ARFA YUNUS

377 rivers in M'sia becoming narrower, shallower from unbridled development
New Straits Times 21 Nov 17;

KUALA LUMPUR: Of Malaysia’s over 4,000 rivers, 377 are becoming narrower and shallower, thus raising the risk of flooding during heavy rains, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Tuesday.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the worrying development is the result of unchecked human activities, including logging, agriculture and construction, which have caused mud to settle into the affected rivers.

He said that the importance of rivers as water catchment areas which can mitigate flooding is disregarded by many quarters, especially developers.

“Gazetted areas for water catchment are ignored by developers,” said Wan Junaidi in a reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Tiong King Sing (BN-Bintulu) at Dewan Rakyat.

He added that when the farming, agriculture, logging and construction sectors brush aside the importance of water catchment areas, rivers end up being filled in with mud.

"If we want to save our rivers, an allocation of hundreds of billions of ringgit is needed,” he said.

Wan Junaidi also said that the government is always quickly judged and criticised when a concession is awarded for the right to conduct sand mining at the mouths of rivers.

“The volume and duration of sand mining operations are not (done) blindly, but in accordance with certain agreements,” he added.

King Sing had raised complaints by the public on the conditions of rivers in Malaysia which have been affected by various development projects.

Reporting by FARHANA SYED NOKMAN, FERNANDO FONG and ARFA YUNUS