SHAH ALAM, April 25 — To mitigate floods, the state government has ordered local authorities to expedite cleanup and drainage system upgrades while they wait for large-scale federal flood prevention projects to be completed.
State executive councillor for local government and tourism Dato’ Ng Suee Lim told Media Selangor that the administration views the recurrence of floods in some areas seriously, but many mitigation projects by the federal government are still in the design phase and need three to five years to complete.
“There are six large flood mitigation projects in Selangor, with three or four of them still in the design stage or have just begun,” Ng said.
He added that while waiting for the completion of the federal projects, the state government must implement short-term measures, so he held a meeting with local authorities on Tuesday on flood prevention moves.
The meeting was called after several flood-prone areas including Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam and Taman Melawis in Klang were inundated.
[caption id="attachment_398736" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
State executive councillor for local government and tourism Dato’ Ng Suee Lim speaks to reporters after an aid handover ceremony for victims of a storm, at Seri Sekinchan Hall, Sabak Bernam, on March 15, 2025. — Picture by REMY ARIFIN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
Ng said many local authorities were unclear on drain ownership, which has led to finger-pointing when it comes to cleanup or maintenance.
Thus, he ordered the councils to be proactive and coordinate efforts with the Irrigation and Drainage Department, Public Works Department, and KDEB Waste Management to lower flooding risks by cleaning out drains.
“Clogged drains can be prevented. I have directed all local authorities to take responsibility for this aspect, hold more coordination meetings, and no longer look the other way. We must be prepared before disasters occur, not act after floods come,” he stressed.
Ng said the main causes of flash floods in Selangor are clogged and overflowing drains, climate change, and too-heavy rain.
“We have identified various causes and taken appropriate measures. For example, the volume of rain over two to three hours recently is on a par with the usual monthly average, overloading drains,” he added.
Ng said the state government is looking into widening drains in areas that have enough space and don’t involve land acquisitions, so upgrades can be carried out as soon as possible.
“We are empathetic towards difficulties faced by residents due to floods. The state government will continue assessing and increasing its management efficiency in efforts to effectively lower flood risks in Selangor,” he said.
