SHAH ALAM, May 30 — Selangor is intensifying efforts to strengthen flood mitigation measures by studying approaches used in the Netherlands, including comprehensive river management and the exploration of offshore water retention areas to improve the state’s resilience against flood risks and climate change.
Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said this follows a case study conducted by the Dutch government in Sabak Bernam since last year, which examined a combination of ecological solutions, coastal preservation and innovative tools to complement conventional approaches such as embankment construction.
He said the Netherlands’ experience in climate adaptation, flood resilience and sustainable urban planning could serve as a useful reference, although implementation must be tailored to local conditions and needs.
"Selangor can draw on some experience from the Netherlands but must be cognisant that there is no one size fits all approach to overcoming flash floods.
"Instead, there are measures which can be taken quickly to solve flash flooding, but this has to be combined with a longer-term strategy of river management, both upstream and downstream.
"We must also find ways to use Selangor’s geographical position on the west coast as an asset by exploring offshore water storage areas to mitigate (the impact) of high-tide, which can prevent water from being pumped out to sea," he said on Facebook last night after a meeting with the Netherlands ambassador to Malaysia Jacques Werner.
Amirudin said the approach is aligned with the philosophy behind the Netherlands’ Delta Works and Room for the River programmes, which are designed to manage river flows, introduce storm surge barriers and ultimately reduce pressure on waterways, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
He stressed that efforts to minimise flood impacts must be accelerated in line with the decree of Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj to safeguard the well-being of the people.
According to Amirudin, Selangor can no longer rely on temporary or fragmented measures in tackling increasingly complex flood challenges.
“We have made some progress since the traumatic floods in December 2021, as seen in the reduced impact today in areas such as Taman Sri Muda. However, more needs to be done, and it must be done quicker.”
Amirudin said the next focus would be on identifying suitable solutions for the state’s three main river basins — Sungai Langat, Sungai Klang and Sungai Selangor — by taping onto Dutch expertise while taking into account population density and local challenges.
He also reaffirmed Selangor’s commitment to maintaining a balance between development and sustainability, including preserving more than 31 per cent of the state’s land area as permanent forest reserves as part of its long-term climate resilience agenda.
Yesterday's discussion also involved several federal and state agencies, including the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID), the Public Works Department (JKR), Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) and the Selangor Climate Adaptation Centre.
