KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) has proposed that the Terengganu government imposes a levy on developers, with the revenue to be used for flash flood mitigation in the state.
Deputy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (pix) said the levy, or drainage contribution, can be imposed on any land development or disposal by land ownership and altering land conditions for residential, commercial and industrial purposes by developers.
“Many states in the peninsula have already introduced this method so the state government (Terengganu) can consider this as many of these flash floods are caused by development in the surrounding areas,“ he said during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Ahmad Amzad Mohamed @ Hashim (PN-Kuala Terengganu), who wanted to know the solutions to the flood problem in Taman Alamanda, Jalan Tekukur in Kuala Terengganu.
In his reply to a question from Ahmad Amzad on the ministry’s initiative to tackle flooding in Kuala Terengganu, Akmal Nasrullah said RM6.7 million was allocated to Terengganu last year for river dredging and related matters under the River Protection Programme to reduce the risk of flooding.
He said RM200,000 was allocated under the same programme this year and channelled to the Kuala Terengganu Parliament.
“The Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID) is also studying the Terengganu River Basin Flood Mitigation Master Plan. The main output of the study is flood hazard and risk maps for the Terengganu River Basin, which is expected to be completed by 2025.
“The Sungai Ibai Estuary Conservation Project in Kuala Terengganu commenced on 2July 24, 2023 and is expected to be completed on Nov 23, 2025 with a contract value of RM24 million,“ he added. -Bernama
