KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- The government can save RM1.7 billion by expediting the implementation of the Sungai Golok Integrated River Basin (PLSB) project, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said this can be made possible following the government's decision to consolidate all three phases of the flood mitigation project, including the phase overseen by the National Security Council.
“…the Sungai Golok (PLSB) project and the dredging and cleaning of the Sungai Golok estuary, involves both the Malaysian and the Thai governments.
"... if we expedite and consolidate the three phases of the project, we will stand to save RM1.7 billion. That is why I say the principles of governance and transparency in the project must be upheld,” he said during the Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
The Prime Minister said the Kelantan government had also given assurance that the land acquisition for the Sungai Golok PLSB project would be fast-tracked and completed within six months compared to 24 months previously.
Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said this in reply to Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muar) who wanted to know the proactive measures taken by the government to deal with floods during each monsoon season as well as the unforeseen factors in areas that are frequently hit by floods and have the potential to be hit by floods in the future.
Anwar said that according to previous projections, the third phase of the Sungai Golok PSLB project would begin in 2027, but the government decided to accelerate it to reduce the amount of losses.
However, he said that the matter depended on the land acquisition process.
“Sometimes, the land acquisition process in the states involved takes two years to complete, the fastest is one year.
“So, with the Kelantan Menteri Besar yesterday, I said no...if they can complete it (land acquisition) in six months, then we will start (the PLSB project) in six months,” he said.
Anwar also said that for the High Priority Flood Mitigation (TBBT) project involving an allocation of RM1.64 billion in Segamat, Batu Pahat and Ledang, the land acquisition process has also been expedited, allowing the projects to be initiated 12 months earlier than planned.
Meanwhile, on Syed Saddiq’s supplementary question on Malaysia's role as ASEAN chairman to ensure that Western countries, especially the US, recognise climate change as an important issue, Anwar said Malaysia would continue to strengthen ties with other countries on the issue, regardless of the recent decision by the United States to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
“As the ASEAN Chairman, I see that the consensus in ASEAN has not changed. Are we able to influence American policy? I don't think we should be too ambitious to get there. We just look after our existing friends and networks,” he said.
On another development, Anwar said the appointment of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to head the advisory team for Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship could help ASEAN in several ways.
He said Thaksin had also helped in expediting the Sungai Golok-Rantau Panjang project and had conducted a working visit to three southern provinces of Thailand in a bid to find a solution to the long-standing conflict in the region.
“In fact, he recently went to Southern Thailand to apologize for the Tak Bai issue and gave an assurance that he would work with Malaysia to try to resolve peacefully and fairly the problems faced by the people there,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
