KUALA LUMPUR — The recent flash floods in Kuala Lumpur are not just a warning but a direct consequence of climate change and unchecked development.
Speaking to Scoop, Friends of Nature Activists Society (better known as KUASA), stressed the importance of the government taking NGOs and environmental groups seriously.
“The previous and current governments do not take us seriously because they believe we are just a group of people who oppose development,” said KUASA media officer Shakila Zen.
“We are not against development, but it must be sustainable. We’ve also called on the government to halt projects or developments near environmentally sensitive areas, such as rivers and forest reserves.
“The authorities lack sufficient manpower for enforcement, and corruption is widespread,” she added.
On Tuesday, continuous morning rain paralysed the city, with many commuters caught in gridlock due to flooding in several areas. Many were also stranded at train stations, while the Dewan Rakyat session had to be delayed by half an hour, starting at 10.30 am, to give MPs more time to reach Parliament.
To make matters worse, residents of 20 houses on Jalan E6 in Taman Melawati, Ampang, were told to evacuate following a landslide in the area.
Environmental groups and NGOs have, for years, proposed short- and long-term mitigation plans, but their warnings appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
Many now believe that the capital is at a tipping point, particularly regarding overdevelopment.
In response to the landslide in Taman Melawati, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari dismissed claims that it was caused by overdevelopment. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof announced that more reservoirs will be built to mitigate urban flooding.
KUASA president Hafizudin Nasaruddin pointed out that overdevelopment is not the only problem—climate change has intensified rainfall in the capital.
“Rain in Kuala Lumpur is more intense and frequent these days because of the urban heat island effect. The city simply cannot cope with this phenomenon.
“Rainwater is supposed to seep into the ground and be stored, but for that, we need trees and vegetation. Unfortunately, 80% of the city is covered in concrete, leaving nowhere for the water to go.
“A failure to plan for more water catchment areas amid overdevelopment is another issue. Ideally, for every 40% of land covered in concrete, there should be 60 per cent wetlands or vegetation to act as a sponge to absorb water.
“Roads and pavements must also have porosity, or the water will have no place to go. And this doesn’t even account for the main rivers, which are full of sediment, or the rising sea levels in Port Klang. Our rivers can no longer handle large volumes of water,” Hafizudin explained.
As for potential solutions, Hafizudin suggested: “We need to map and zone flood-prone areas. If there is available land, it should be reforested and planted with trees that can absorb water.
“Reforms are essential. Kuala Lumpur is already at a point of no return, and it’s too late to address these issues fully. The situation is more complicated because the city is overdeveloped.
“The Deputy Prime Minister mentioned creating more reservoirs in flood-prone areas, but do we have enough land? One idea would be to convert abandoned or unfinished projects into water catchment areas or wetlands with vegetation.
“Other factors that need attention are the materials used in development. Are they eco-friendly? This includes engineering, design, and architecture.
“Finally, the community must act as environmental watchdogs. The problem is we lack environmental education, so we don’t recognise when something is wrong, and no reports are made. Environmental education must start in schools, and we must stop littering.
“Water education might seem trivial, but water can destroy us all,” he warned.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president, Meena Raman, believes that short-term solutions are insufficient, and simply adding more reservoirs in the city will not resolve the underlying issues.
“We need to prepare for, adapt to, and address the losses and damages we are currently experiencing, and which will only increase in the future.
“This requires a fundamental shift in our mindset regarding planning and development approvals, which still seem to follow a ‘business as usual’ approach.
“We are not building resilience to climate change, nor do we fully understand the current risks and vulnerabilities posed by extreme weather events,” said Meena. – October 16, 2024