Deputy minister says 46 coastal and estuarine erosion mitigation projects approved, with 19 underway and a RM1.57 billion focus on Terengganu
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 46 coastal and estuarine erosion mitigation projects have been approved under the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan.
Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad provided the update in the Dewan Negara. He said 19 projects are currently under implementation, while 24 are in the pre-implementation stage.
Three projects have been completed and are in the post-implementation phase. For Terengganu specifically, 10 projects with a total allocation of RM1.57 billion are in the pipeline.
Five projects in the state are under implementation, four are at the pre-implementation stage, and one has reached post-implementation. Abdul Rahman was responding to Senator Che Alias Hamid’s question about contingency funding for coastal erosion.
He explained that the Drainage and Irrigation Department does not have a dedicated emergency fund for coastal erosion. Any short-term measures are implemented based on technical studies and risk priority assessments.
“In this regard, cooperation and support from the state government are crucial,” he said. He added that for high-risk areas, the ministry adopts a long-term approach using both structural and non-structural methods.
On non-structural measures, Abdul Rahman highlighted the implementation of the Integrated Shoreline Management Plan. This plan serves as a strategic coastal zone planning document for authorities and stakeholders.
“To date, 11 ISMPs have been completed, while six more are currently being implemented nationwide,” he said. The Terengganu ISMP was completed in 2022.
He stressed that addressing coastal erosion requires coordinated federal and state efforts. This coordination ensures mitigation measures are implemented effectively and sustainably.
Responding to a supplementary question, Abdul Rahman provided an update on the Kuala Nerus project. The RM90 million physical development project began on July 24, 2023.
It is expected to be completed on Jan 14, 2027.
