PUTRAJAYA, Dec 21 — The government is studying the feasibility of modifying the spillway structure on the embankment of the Sungai Golok Integrated River Basin Development Project (PLSB) in Kelantan to address the stagnant floodwater woes in the nearby areas following the implementation of the flood mitigation project.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said that the stagnant floodwater woes were mainly caused by the project and the high amount of rainfall towards the end of the year.

“We understand the grievances of the residents there. We need to review the situation because, after the project is completed, we need to modify the existing spillway structure,” he told a press conference after attending a session on Managing Cross-Border Haze Pollution Issues here today.

He said this in response to the requests of the residents around the project area, which have been affected by stagnant floodwater for almost a month.

In another development, Nik Nazmi said that the policy paper on the proposal to address cross-border haze pollution is expected to be presented to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on the Environment, Science, and Plantation in the first half of next year.

He said the findings from today’s engagement session with stakeholders and the resolutions from the meeting will be presented at the Cabinet meeting for approval and implementation.

“At the domestic level, the government, through various ministries, departments, and agencies, strives every year to ensure all preparations are in place to face hot and dry weather conditions and to take appropriate measures to prevent open burning.

“Integrated enforcement activities have also been intensified to prevent open burning and to ensure that preventive measures against field and premises fires are implemented accordingly,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nik Nazmi said that Malaysian-owned plantation companies and Malaysian-affiliated companies operating both domestically and in Indonesia have been reminded to consistently implement preventive measures against open burning to avoid field and peatland fires, which are the primary causes of haze incidents.

“The ministry remains committed and continuously endeavours to address the cross-border haze issue to prevent recurrence,” he added. — Bernama