KUALA LUMPUR – Seputeh MP Teresa Kok has called on the Federal Territories Ministry and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to halt approvals for high-density projects in Kuala Lumpur to mitigate flood risks following recent incidents of flooding and a landslide in the city.
She said that such projects should be stopped, particularly in lowland areas and near flood retention ponds.
Kuala Lumpur has recently experienced flash floods in Segambut, Kg Baru, Seri Semarak, Taman Bunga Raya, and at the open car park of the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).
Additionally, continuous rainfall caused a landslide on Jalan Genting Kelang, which forced the evacuation of 52 people.
In a Facebook post, Kok said that the city’s drainage system is struggling to handle the rapid development of high-density buildings.
“Should DBKL continue to approve high-rise projects without widening the drains and deepening the rivers in Kuala Lumpur, we might witness flash floods occurring more frequently in the future.
“Therefore, I would like to call upon the government to review the housing development project that will be carried out on 4.4-acre land in the Kg Bohol Flood Flood Retention Pond and its surrounding land, as well as a high-rise project in Taman Desa by Mah Sing Group in a site nearby the Taman Desa Flood Retention Pond, which receives water flown from Kuala Lumpur through the Smart Tunnel,” said Kok.
It was previously reported that federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the government had pledged to upgrade the Kg Bohol flood retention pond before allowing any developments in the area.
This followed opposition by locals to the degazetting of the pond for a proposed housing development.
The pond will be undergoing de-gazettement to allow for a 2.1 ha expansion, increasing its area to 63.5 ha.
Kok also urged Putrajaya and DBKL to review the Madani housing development policy involving high-rise buildings, as such projects damage the ecological balance and affect traffic flow.
She called on the government to intensify efforts to clean the tunnels, widen the drains, and deepen the rivers, especially in flood-prone areas of Kuala Lumpur.
Moreover, Kok urged the new mayor of the city, Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif, who previously served as executive director for UN-Habitat, to advance the green city initiative by increasing the number of recreational parks and green areas. This would boost soil water absorption and lower the risk of landslides.
“I hope that this new mayor will also work on making Kuala Lumpur a city that implements sustainable development,” she added. – August 24, 2024