KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad told Parliament today that the federal government has improved its preparedness for floods during the annual year end monsoon season.
He said the government has introduced a real-time SMS alert system to warn residents in flood-prone areas as part of its disaster prevention measures.
He also said the special task force chaired by the chief secretary to the government has been established to improve multi-agency relief efforts, after admitting to poor communication between the disparate agencies for the much-criticised response to the northeast monsoon flooding that inundated much of the peninsula last December and earlier this year in January.
“From the special meeting we had in February, preparation to handle the upcoming monsoon has been done by Nadma and disaster prevention centre from the state level.
“We have strengthened the involvement between multiple agencies so that issues relating to raising awareness and sending flood warning to the public can be executed,” he said during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat.
Abdul Latiff was replying Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who wanted to know the government’s preparations for the annual monsoon-triggered floods.
But Anwar also wanted to know what action the government has taken to address the environmental problems that caused the flash floods in Baling, Kedah just last month.
The Port Dickson MP called on the government to take firm action against illegal land clearing to prevent mass deforestation, which was blamed for the Baling floods.
A pregnant woman was among three reported fatalities and hundreds more residents were displaced in Baling after a headwater phenomenon swept through the area, causing one of the worst floods to hit the south-east Kedah district.
