Klang MP threatens to drag JKR to court over silence on drain cleaning

 

PARLIAMENT | Charles Santiago (Pakatan Harapan-Klang) has threatened to take the Public Works Department (JKR) to court if they do not respond soon to him urging the department to review how often the monsoon drains in his constituency are cleaned.

He said currently, the concession under JKR only requires the monsoon drains to be cleaned once every six months.

“I have urged JKR several times but they are silent. I asked them to revise the cleaning of the monsoon drains in Klang to once a week, instead of what it is currently, which is once every six months under JKR’s concession.

“This does not make sense. How can they make a concession agreement to clean the drains once every six months? This is stupidity in action,” Charles (above) said while debating the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said he had brought up the same issue in the parliamentary sitting last December as well as during the special parliamentary meeting on Jan 20 this year.

Now that he is bringing this up for the third time, Charles said he would drag JKR to court to compel them to increase the frequency of cleaning the drains in Klang.

“After this, I give my commitment, I will drag JKR to court so that they will clean the drains in Klang. You watch, I will do it,” he said.

Klang was among the areas which were worst affected by the flood disaster last December.

Charles Santiago visiting flood-affected residents in Klang last year

‘Klang could be submerged by 2050’

In his debate today, Charles said research has suggested that Klang could be fully underwater by 2050 due to climate change.

He also noted that Klang has experienced five flooding incidents within the past five months, with the worst being the one last December.

As such, Charles also suggested that the government, in particular the Environment and Water Ministry, form a special commission to look into how to resolve this flooding issue in the long term.

“I think it can be led by local and international experts to investigate the floods and come up with a comprehensive plan.

“This request to form a special commission for floods is fair seeing as six states have suffered a tragedy due to the floods in the past few months,” he said.

He also mooted the formation of a disaster relief force and a disaster relief research and training centre, which he said can fill up the gaps for the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).

Flash floods had once again struck the Klang Valley yesterday, with the Shah Alam Expressway (Kesas) and Kuchai Lama especially affected. - Mkini