Selangor halts Puncak Alam development following floods

SHAH ALAM: All development activities in Puncak Alam have been ordered to stop with immediate effect following floods that affected several areas in Selangor.

Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said in a statement issued on Nov 6 that Jalan Batu Arang in Rawang would also be temporarily closed following a bank collapse to facilitate repair works.

He said both decisions were made at the state executive council meeting to allow flood mitigation plans and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be reviewed.

Amirudin said the state government took public concerns seriously, particularly as recurring floods had disrupted daily activities, including commuting to work and picking up children from school.

"Public criticism of government agencies must be accepted openly and used as motivation to step up efforts to assist flood victims and prevent similar incidents from recurring.

"People cannot be expected to accept excuses from any agency when floods occur. They simply want to live safely without having to worry about their own safety or that of their loved ones," he said.

He added that flood mitigation works, both large and small-scale, across Selangor, particularly in high-risk areas, must be expedited rather than carried out according to conventional schedules.

This was necessary as rainfall was expected almost daily amid the growing challenges posed by climate change.

"The approach to flood mitigation must match the challenges we are facing to prevent harm to the people," he said.

Meanwhile, the state government would expedite and increase assistance to flood victims currently housed at temporary relief centres.

Efforts to repair and clean affected homes would also be accelerated through cooperation between state government agencies and the Selangor Menteri Besar Incorporated Foundation (Yayasan MBI).

Amirudin said financial assistance of up to RM1,500 from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the state government would be channelled to victims at relief centres to ease their financial burden while repair works were being carried out.

Early warnings would also be issued to motorists travelling through flood-prone areas experiencing rising water levels to prevent untoward incidents.

"The Department of Irrigation and Drainage has also been instructed to carry out immediate water diversion works, while all relevant agencies must expedite maintenance of drains and rivers without delay," he said.