SHAH ALAM, March 14 — The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today advised the state government to place more serious emphasis on efforts to address the increasing number of floods and flash floods in the state.

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said the best method to deal with floods should be identified immediately, including obtaining expertise and new technology from within and outside the country.

"By right, since the great flood tragedy in Selangor in 1971, we have learned and gained knowledge of how to prepare action plans before and after the floods,” he said when officiating the First Meeting of the Fifth Term of the 14th Selangor State Assembly, in here today.

Sultan Sharafuddin said with the population now reaching more than 6.5 million people, especially in the densely populated areas, the state government should have a more effective future planning so that the people of Selangor no longer suffer and are burdened with flood incidents.

"In implementing these efforts, I also want state government’s officials, agencies and departments to be more proactive in resolving problems related to flooding disasters,” he said.

He said efforts to deal with the floods include preparing short-term and long-term plans to deepen and widen the river, ensure a good and managed drainage system, and build floodgates in important locations by taking into account rainfall as well as tide tables.

Sultan Sharafuddin also expressed hope that every project to address floods such as the construction of bunds or deepening the river is done properly and diligently so that it is effective in the long run to prevent worse floods from occurring.

"I would like to emphasise that law enforcement action is one of the most effective ways to teach the people not to pollute and encroach on land along the rivers in the state,” he said.

Thus, the Selangor Sultan hopes that the state government will strengthen enforcement actions against parties involved in river pollution activities that are the main cause of floods and members of the public can play a role by ensuring the drainage system and rivers in their respective settlements are not clogged and avoiding indiscriminate garbage dumping into the river.

"I am saddened to see the damage following the floods faced by the people. If all parties are still not serious and complacent in facing this flood disaster, not only the government will continue to bear losses, but the people will also be burdened.

"In this regard, I hope the federal and state governments put aside political differences and can work together to address the flood problems in the Klang Valley so that the people involved do not suffer severe suffering and experience trauma every time the rainy season occurs,” he said.

On the public transport projects that will be developed through the alignment in Selangor, namely the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and the MRT3 Circle Line, Sultan Sharafuddin said the two projects had been scrutinised as best as possible, taking into account various factors, especially its social impact as well as on the environment.

"I hope that the implementation of these projects does not cause more severe effects or disasters and disrupt the lives of the people in Selangor who have to bear the consequences for a long time when project development is carried out irregularly, carelessly, without proper monitoring and control of the parties involved.

"Therefore, I would like to remind all parties involved, whether at the federal government or the state government, to ensure that the work is carried out in an orderly manner and completed well,” he said. — Bernama