Floods: DAP rep calls for federal gov't cooperation

Following an unusually heavy rain in Penang last Friday, causing floods in several areas, Datuk Keramat assemblyperson Jagdeep Singh Deo expressed hope that the federal government would cooperate with the state government to overcome the flood problem.

Jagdeep said cooperation was needed as floods were affecting the people and should be attended to quickly regardless of their political leanings.

“We should cooperate to assist the people, without any finger pointing. The people affected by floods are not only from Pakatan as everybody, irrespective of their political leanings, could be affected when a flood occurs. As such, we need to implement fast the flood mitigation project at Sungai Pinang,” he told a press conference at Masjid Acheh Kebun Lama in George Town today.

Jagdeep, who is also state housing, town and country planning committee chairperson said it was appealing to the federal government to expedite the project to prevent floods in Penang.

“Sungai Pinang is the largest river in the state which flows through my constituency, Datuk Keramat, and Sungai Pinang has been identified since the 1990s by the federal government as requiring the implementation of a flood mitigation plan.

"The project has four phases. Phase One involving the expansion and deepening of the river mouth had been completed in 1999.

"Phase Two involves relocating residents living near the river bank. The previous government could have thought that this (relocating residents) was a sensitive matter. But I am saying this is not a reasonable excuse and is not a sensitive matter,” he said.

Heavy rain lasting more than five hours with the sea tide as high as 2.1m on Sept 15 inundated 100 areas in five districts in Penang with several areas hit by landslides.

- Bernama