Holistic Solution Needed To Prevent Floods From Recurring - Lee

IPOH, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- A more holistic solution must be devised to prevent floods from recurring in several parts of Ipoh, said Ipoh Timur member of Parliament Howard Lee Chuan How.

He said that the focus should not only be on short-term mitigation efforts but also on addressing climate change by incorporating sustainable development across all aspects.

He stressed that it was time for all parties to pay serious attention to the matter, aas floods were an unavoidable natural phenomenon that would continue to happen.

“...it is more important to prevent the disaster from happening every year and for the victims not to have to deal with floods; this needs to be emphasised.

“The repeated destruction and loss will have a very negative effect on the flood victims, and it will take a long time for them to get back to their normal lives,” he told a press conference after a ceremony to hand over aid to flood victims at Dewan Orang Ramai Kampung Sri Kinta near here today.

Earlier, 34 families from Kampung Sri Kinta, Pengkalan Pegoh, Kuala Pari, and Cempaka Sari received RM500 each in assistance after their houses were affected by floods on Dec 1 last year.

Elaborating, Lee said efforts to address the flood problem in Kampung Sri Kinta had been carried out through a flood mitigation project in areas prone to severe flooding.

“A more efficient drainage system, costing RM180,000, has been constructed on both sides of the road in Lorong 7, an area that experiences frequent flooding, with water levels sometimes reaching waist height.

“If the flood occurs, six houses will be affected, and the residents have been dealing with this issue for the past 15 years. Therefore, we hope the project, which is expected to be completed within two months, will have a positive impact on the residents of Lorong 6 and Lorong 8 as well,” he said.

Lee also hoped that the government would consider the need for additional allocations to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage so that maintenance and upgrading works could be carried out to prevent flooding.

-- BERNAMA