Anwar orders accelerated flood mitigation as Selangor halts Puncak Alam development works
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has ordered flood mitigation projects to be sped up and announced RM2,500 assistance for eligible flood-hit households in Selangor. The Selangor government has stopped development works in Puncak Alam pending a review of flood safeguards and environmental impa
PETALING JAYA (Nov 10): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has ordered flood mitigation projects to be accelerated and announced additional assistance of RM2,500 for eligible flood-hit households in Selangor, amid a state-led review of flood safeguards for development in Puncak Alam.
The Selangor government's directive was reported by Sinar Harian on Friday (Nov 6), citing Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari. He said the state executive council had decided to stop development works immediately to allow flood mitigation plans and environmental impact assessments to be reassessed.
Announcing the special one-off assistance on Monday (Nov 9), Anwar said it was intended for families facing prolonged displacement and substantial damage. The Prime Minister's Office said the money would help eligible household heads replace essential household items damaged or destroyed by floods. Payments were expected to begin on Tuesday (Nov 10), with eligibility criteria and implementation arrangements to be announced by the executing agency, Bernama reported.
About 1,000 homes in Hillpark, Seri Alam and Saujana Perdana were affected by flooding on Nov 5, Media Selangor reported on Nov 6, citing Amirudin. He said rainfall exceeding 100mm around Universiti Teknologi MARA's Puncak Alam campus had caused water to overflow into those neighbourhoods. A separate episode on Nov 4 involved an overflow from Sungai Subang that affected Kampung Melayu Subang, Merbau Sempak and Saujana Aman.
Amirudin also ordered inspections of two development projects covering a combined area of about 20 acres around Saujana Aman following flooding that affected nearby homes. He called for closer coordination between districts and technical agencies to manage water flows from upstream to downstream. Measures identified included drainage upgrades, building and raising bunds, improving water flows, and gazetting catchment areas and floodplains, Media Selangor reported.
In the separate report by Sinar Harian, Amirudin called for both small- and large-scale mitigation works to be expedited, particularly in high-risk areas. He also directed agencies to accelerate drain and river maintenance. Residents sheltering at SK Parit Mahang in Jeram welcomed the assistance but called for longer-term drainage improvements to address flooding they described as recurring annually, RTM reported on Monday.
Muhammad Zakwan Sahrom, 28, of Kampung Bukit Hijau, said financial assistance was necessary, but addressing the causes of flooding and ensuring drains and waterways functioned properly should also be prioritised. Nurul Fatihah Samsudin, 29, of Kampung Parit Mahang, said her family moved household belongings to higher ground when water levels began rising to reduce potential damage. Anwar visited the SK Parit Mahang relief centre on Monday, when it housed 154 people from 36 families. He said the additional assistance would be administered through the Implementation Coordination Unit under the Prime Minister's Department, with distribution coordinated with the state government.
