MELAKA, Nov 9 — The Melaka state government will continue its efforts to address flooding issues throughout the state until the root causes are identified and resolved, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
He said a phased approach tailored to specific areas will continue to be implemented, taking into account various factors, including inadequate drainage systems and natural phenomena.
“As long as the flooding issue remains unresolved, I will not cease serving the people. We will identify the root causes of these floods.
“It is possible that we lack a well-organised and properly planned drainage system, it could also be due to natural phenomena that we must take into account,” he told Bernama.
Ab Rauf said the state government is managing flood mitigation projects with funding support from the federal government including a new mitigation project at Sungai Baru Hilir involving an allocation of approximately RM432 million as well as interventions in several other areas identified as ‘red zones.’
He explained that a ‘micro-management’ approach is being employed, where the specific issues of each area are examined to ensure that the planned solutions directly address the root causes of the flooding.
In a related development, Ab Rauf noted that the state government’s commitment to the welfare of the people is also reflected in the ‘Wakil Rakyat Untuk Rakyat’ (WRUR) programme, which is implemented across all 28 State Legislative Assembly constituencies in the state.
He shared that through this programme, 75 per cent of the approximately 4,000 issues raised by the public have been successfully resolved during his nearly three-year administration.
He added that the issues received cover a wide range of areas including education, welfare, land, agriculture, and facilities for places of worship which are then coordinated according to the portfolios of the relevant State Executive Council (MMKN) members.
“My principle as an elected representative is that we must understand the hardships faced by the people. To be an elected representative, one must first be one of the people; only then can we truly understand how to resolve the people’s problems,” he said.
Ab Rauf said in addition to WRUR, the state government also implements the ‘Exco Meets the People’ (HEBAT) programme every 45 days, serving as an additional platform to address complaints that require more serious attention from the state administration.
Furthermore, he noted that the ‘Chief Minister’s ‘Sayang Rakyat’ (MeSRa) Tour’ programme is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the aid provided to the public and to identify areas for improvement. — Bernama
