RM12.2mil to maintain KL flood retention ponds

A TOTAL of RM12.2mil has been allocated to Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) for maintenance of flood retention ponds in Kuala Lumpur, says Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He had said this in Parliament on July 2 when replying to Teresa Kok (PH-Seputeh) who wanted to know the budget allocated to DID to upgrade flood retention ponds in the capital.

Fadillah, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said the allocation was for 17 flood retention ponds under the purview of DID.

“For this year, the ministry has allocated RM12.2mil to carry out upgrading works to ensure that all the ponds are able to function at their original capacity.

“To address flooding in the city centre, DID is also carrying out the Sungai Bunus flood mitigation project, which is costing RM300mil.”

Fadillah explained that the scope of the Sungai Bunus flood mitigation project involved upgrading six ponds and 10 packages along the river.

He said six of the packages had been completed, two were ongoing and two were in the tender process.

On the Kampung Bohol flood retention pond, he said it was jointly maintained by DID and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

“DBKL has spent a total of RM1.8mil on maintenance works for the Bohol pond from 2023 to June 2024,” he added.

The Kampung Bohol flood retention pond has been in the limelight following government sale of the surrounding land to a developer for housing project.

Residents gathered at the site on May 16 to protest the redevelopment project as they said the site was flood-prone.

Residents had pointed out that despite maintenance by DBKL and DID, the Kampung Bohol flood retention pond still overflowed and flooded nearby areas last December.

Hundreds of houses in the surrounding area and nearby Kinrara township in Puchong were hit by floods in December 2021, March 2022 and again in December 2023.

Save Kampung Bohol Flood Retention Pond pro-tem committee chairman Saniah Arabian questioned what work was being carried out at the site.

“My house was hit by floods three times in three years,” said Saniah.

George Joseph, whose family home in Setapak was affected by the Kuala Lumpur floods in 2011, said flooding was still happening due to the overflow of Sungai Bunus.

“After 2011, the government announced the Sungai Bunus flood mitigation project.

“There has been no updates of what has been done so far,” he added.