BACHOK: The federal government has decided to expedite flood mitigation projects in Kelantan to address the state’s perennial flooding problem, which disrupts the lives of people, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said this includes exploring new methods not only to tackle the flood issue but also to resolve water shortages during drought seasons.
“Kelantan has identified several key projects, and this year, I have decided that the phased flood mitigation projects, despite their high cost, must be expedited. We don’t want to continue witnessing yearly floods, with the flood situation remaining unmanageable while governments come and go, including the federal government.
“That is why I have asked Petra (the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation), as well as the Ministries of Economy and Finance, to look into several new approaches. In this state, sometimes the water overflows excessively, causing floods, and then in the following months, it’s completely dry, with no water.
“Allah has given us strength, effort and technology — can’t the overflowing floodwater be stored for the dry season? Of course it can,” he said in his speech at the Kelantan-level Aidilfitri MADANI 2025 celebration at Pantai Irama here today.
Also present were Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
Earlier, the Prime Minister also attended the State Development Meeting in Kota Bharu, near here, with the Menteri Besar, which he described as a new approach adopted by the MADANI Government to listen to and attempt to resolve the issues faced by each state government during his visits.
Commenting further on flood mitigation projects, one of the key initiatives for the Kelantan government, Anwar said that in addition to adopting a new approach, land acquisition matters must be expedited by the state government to fast-track the projects.
“In the meeting just now, we also listed several other projects that need to be expedited,” he said.
Anwar also expressed his gratitude to the state government for its cooperation with the federal government.
“There may be some differences between us, but cooperation to uphold the dignity of the state and the nation, and to address the people’s problems — the poor, the neglected, those who have to endure floods and drought — must continue.
“And this is not a party agenda, but a national one,” he stressed.
