KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 (Bernama) -- Six out of 21 projects to overcome problems of high tides and coastal erosion are expected to be completed this year, said Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
He said the project, implemented by PETRA through the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), involved eight states on the West Coast of the peninsula, namely Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Johor, with a total cost of RM200 million.
"The main scope of the project is the construction and upgrading of tyres as well as coastal erosion control structures. A total of 21 projects are under implementation and six of them will be completed this year while other projects will be completed by 2027," he said.
He said this during the winding up debate on the Motion of thanks to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Royal Address, for his ministry in the Dewan Negara today.
In Sabah and Sarawak, he said PETRA through DID had also implemented the Coastal Flood Mitigation Project with a total cost of RM419 million, aimed at reducing the risk of coastal flood overflow to residential areas, protecting property and agricultural areas.
Commenting on the issue of dam safety, Akmal Nasrullah said a total of 10 physical and non-physical projects with a total cost of RM501 million were approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), aimed at ensuring the safety of 16 DID dams nationwide.
"Among the main scopes of these projects are upgrading dam safety facilities and equipment, maintaining volume to increase the effectiveness of dam flood functions, including conducting safety and management studies," he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup, when winding up the debate for his ministry, said a total of 546 digital agriculture systems have been installed across the country in subsectors of agriculture, acquaculture and breeding.
"The installation of this IoT (internet of things) and AI (artificial intelligence)-based digital agriculture system shows that it can contribute to an increase in income by 20 per cent and reduce operating costs by up to 30 per cent," he said.
On the issue of foreign fishermen's vessels encroaching into the country's irrigation, he said the ministry was currently examining additional amendments to the Fisheries Act 1985 to further strengthen the country's fisheries laws.
"This amendment will focus on stricter action against encroachments on control of local vessels as well as strengthening enforcement aspects in the country's waters," he said.
--BERNAMA
