COMMENT As expected the massive floods has triggered an equally massive allocation for flood mitigation to the tune of RM893 million in the revised 2015 Budget. I may sound like I am being over-critical but I think it is still necessary to note that this planned expenditure - although welcome - can be seen as too little too late.

If the country had invested in an appropriate program of flood mitigation infrastructure and alternative flood alleviation approaches, the severity of the floods would have been much reduced and we would not have suffered so much. It is estimated that the floods caused RM2.9 billion damage to infrastructure. This does not take into account the loss in private property, vehicles, livestock, farms and belongings. Actually if we put together the total flood bill, I will not be surprised if it exceeds RM10 billion!

Clearly the government has forgotten the adage ‘an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure’ in development planning. Now the country and the taxpayers have to foot the bill again for an incompetent and irresponsible government. And I must add, this labelling covers both the state and federal government authorities, and the political parties running the country and affected states.