KOTA BARU, June 16 — The government has approved an allocation of more than RM1.5 billion for the Sungai Golok Integrated River Basin Development (PLSB) and flood mitigation projects under the 12th Malaysia Plan, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

He said last month the government through the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department approved an application from the Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA) for the scope expansion of the Sungai Golok PLSB construction project.

“The PLSB and flood mitigation projects will be implemented in two phases of which the first phase involves a cost of RM656 million and is expected to be completed in 2024, involving the construction of the Sungai Golok flood protection bund stretching 26.2 kilometres (km), dykes, Sungai Mentua bund (8.1km), the Kuala Jambu outlet gate and improvement of the Sungai Lanchang Lemal bund (right bank) (19.8km),” he said in a statement, today.

Mustapa said, the cost that was initially approved for the second phase, which is expected to complete in 2028, was RM465 million involving the construction of the Rantau Panjang floodwall, land acquisition and several non-physical components.

He said the approval of an additional allocation of RM414 million was given after KASA managed to record savings from other projects.

“The expansion of this scope involves the construction of the Sungai Lanchang Lemal flood bund (20km), the Sungai Golok flood bund from Kampung Kedotak to Sungai Lanas (21km), the Sungai Golok flood bund from Kampung Lanchang to Kampung Kedotak (19km) and the construction of four pump houses,” he said.

He said as of June 14, the physical construction progress for the first phase of the PLSB in Sungai Golok stood at 56 per cent, while phase two of the project was in the pre-implementation stage.

“The two phases of the Sungai Golok PLSB are expected to tackle the flood issues plaguing the residents along the basin and are expected to benefit more than 40,000 people in the area,” he said. — Bernama