Billions of ringgit have been allocated for flood mitigation projects in Selangor but the state continues to grapple with flooding, said Selangor PAS Youth chief Mohamed Sukri Omar.
“Selangor is one of the highest recipients of flood mitigation funding.
“In 2022, then-prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced RM6.3 billion for flood mitigation projects. In 2023, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim allocated RM1.1 billion specifically for flood mitigation initiatives in Selangor,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Sukri (above) added that the people in the so-called “developed state” are growing increasingly frustrated with the state government’s failure to plug this flood problem, which is embarrassing.
Three days ago, several areas in three districts of Selangor experienced flooding, forcing nearly 2,000 residents to seek refuge in temporary evacuation centres.
According to the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department, the affected districts include Gombak, Shah Alam, and Kuala Selangor.
Sukri said while the state significantly contributes to the gross domestic product (GDP), it remains mired in flood issues.
“It is not impossible that Selangor is becoming less attractive to investors due to the recurring flood problems.
“This is evident as Selangor ranked second in attracting foreign investment in the manufacturing sector in 2022 but then fell to third place in 2023.
“In the first quarter of 2024, Selangor failed to secure a position among the top five,” he stated.
Money or management issue?
Sukri said the pressing question is how much funding Selangor truly needs to resolve this recurring problem.
He also raised concerns about the state government’s competence, suggesting that Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari and his executive council are struggling with effective management.
The PAS Youth leader urged Anwar to focus more on Selangor, which has been under Pakatan Harapan since 2008, as opposed to the PAS-controlled Kedah, which also witnessed devastating floods.
“Let us not fall into the trap of the proverb… where we overlook the elephant before our eyes,” he added.
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