NIBONG TEBAL, June 2 — Five short-term and long-term flood mitigation projects worth a total of RM247.1 million are being and will be implemented in the Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) here that will benefit more than 10,238 families.

Penang Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said three of the five projects are short-term projects in the Sungai Bakap state constituency.

He said the projects, under the Caruman Saliran Negeri (State Drainage Contribution) allocation, would be implemented by the Penang Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS).

"The three short-term projects are in Kampung Changkat Dain, Kampung Besar and Kampung Sepulau, involving total implementation estimated at RM200,000 for each project and benefiting 150 families in the areas involved.

"All three projects will begin at the end of this month and are expected to be completed in three months,” he told a media conference on the project here today.

Also present were Nibong Tebal Member of Parliament Fadhlina Sidek, who is also the education minister, and Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mohamad Abdul Hamid.

Zairil said the projects would include work to upgrade the riverbanks of Sungai Baong, Sungai Buaya and Sungai Junjung as well as river dredging, river widening and building Gabion retaining walls at all three rivers.

Meanwhile, he said the two long-term projects to be implemented under the Federal government allocation totalling RM246.5 million are the Lembangan Sungai Jawi Flood Mitigation Project and the Sungai Kechil Flood Mitigation Project.

He said over 10,000 families affected by floods in the Jawi and Sungai Bakap constituencies are expected to benefit from the projects, which will also help reduce the frequency of floods. — Bernama