Following intense criticisms for the tragic landslide which killed 11 on Oct 21, the Penang government has announced an RM10 million allocation for hillslope protection in the state budget for 2018.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said his administration wanted to be “proactive” in dealing with environmental issues in a “preventive mode,” apart from crisis management.
“Even though the state government has taken preventive measures, climate change has caused a paradigm shift, resulting in our infrastructure suddenly being rendered obsolete and outdated to deal with new challenges,” he said when tabling his 10th budget in the Penang State Legislative Assembly today.
The allocation will be used for a study on climate change and illegal farming, as it has been observed that landslides occur less in developed areas, compared to undeveloped areas.
“Clearly soil protection is done when the area is being developed, but this is not the case when there is illegal farming,” Lim added during his speech.
A State Commission of Inquiry has been formed to probe and recommend action against those responsible for the Tanjung Bungah landslide, involving 980 units of an affordable home project by developer Taman Sri Bunga Sdn Bhd, which is part of the Boon Siew Group.
Lim had said there are suspicions of professional negligence which caused the landslide.
However, civil society groups have called for a moratorium on hillslope development, saying they have earlier warned the state government of such environmental disasters.
Meanwhile, Lim announced that Penang has spent RM531 million to undertake flood mitigation projects since 2008.
This amount does not include RM220 million in 2017, comprising RM150 million by the state and RM50 million by Penang Water Supply Corporation to lay a pipe between Air Itam and Teluk Bahang dam, he added.
“This amount also does not include RM20 million spent by the two local councils for minor flood projects.
“There is a need to quickly press the federal government to carry out the Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project, the major cause of flash floods in Penang."
On Sept 15, when the island was inundated with flash flood which displaced hundreds, Lim said Penang was lashed by the highest rainfall ever recorded, and was a victim of the wicked spillover of the Doksuri Typhoon.
The Air Itam Dam recorded 270mm of rain in one night, equivalent to one month’s rainfall in one night, going from 74 percent capacity to 100 full, he added.
“If the Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project had been completed, it would not have prevented flooding, only reduced it,” he said.
“For this reason, there is a great urgency for the federal government to start work on Sungai Pinang immediately,” he added.
Lim said as an urgent response to the floods, RM2.5 million was spent to carry out 33 emergency flood work projects, and RM3 million was allocated to dispense RM400 per family for losses suffered during the disaster.
“Both MBPP (Penang Island City Council) and MPSP (Seberang Perai Municipal Council) will be spending RM20 million for various flood projects”.
The state Budget 2018 today also announced:
- Building 27,230 affordable houses in 17 projects throughout all five districts in Penang, RM4.5 million allocated for 39 and 41 kampung houses in Kampung Tok Suboh and Kampong Kepala Gajah respectively.
- RM61.2 million for road works in 2018, compared to RM42.3 million in 2017.
- RM20 million to rebuild the Bukit Mertajam old market, and RM13 million for Seberang Jaya market.
- RM53 million in 2018 compared to RM50 million in 2017 for Islamic affairs, RM55.3 million for Islamic religious schools since 2008, and RM428 million for the halal hub.
-Mkini
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