End of December last year it was reported in the local media that floods in seven neighbouring residential areas in Klang have been successfully reduced by 60 percent in the past three months.

It said that Majlis Perbandaran Klang and Department of Irrigation and Drainage had widened and deepened existing drains in seven neighbourhoods.

They are Taman Selatan, Taman Chi Liung, Taman Petaling, Taman Palm Grove, Taman Radzi, Taman Bayu Perdana and Taman Bayumas.

Last Friday many Klang residents woke up to what was deemed as the worst flooding episode in Klang's history fuelling demonstrations at housing developers' offices and high discontent and anger amongst many who have aired their concerns to Majlis Perbandaran Klang for better drainage systems and rubbish collection services.

The Monday morning flash floods made worse the already hopeless traffic congestion on many highways leading to Kuala Lumpur.

The whole of Klang and the Klang Valley face serious flood mitigation problems.

We do not see any long term plan to curb increasing episodes of flash floods in various parts in Malaysia, for example in states like Kedah, Kelantan, Sabah, Sarawak, towns and cities like Muar, Kota Tinggi, Kuala Lumpur and other parts of Klang Valley.

A legendary ruler in ancient China famed for his introduction of flood control took 13 years to devise flood control measures.

In this modern age and after more than 50 years of independence the relevant agencies and local authorities have not yet internalisd the seriousness of floods and thus the need to implement structured and effective flood control measures in the areas mentioned above.

In smaller countries like Singapore the development of drainage infrastructure over the last 30 years has reduced flood-prone areas from 3200ha in the 1970s to 124ha today (in 2008).

The Public Utilities Board (PUB) will reduce it to less than 66ha by 2011 through the development and improvement of drainage infrastructure in Singapore, the completion of the Marina Barrage, and other flood alleviation projects.

This information was taken from Singapore's National Climate Change Strategy.

Our National Climate Change Policy does not mention any flood mitigation or adaptation related policies - what more on strategy?

If only each state in Malaysia was governed like Singapore in terms of its flood mitigation and public transportation system.

Public and business attitude towards waste calls for heavy penalties and radical implementation of laws and aggressive education at the grassroots.

Clogged monsoon drains and drainage systems in urban areas like Klang and Kuala Lumpur are very serious problems.

Mattresses, chairs, car bumpers and tyres are found in monsoon drains and rivers.

People who practice such waste management styles are seriously demented!

Local authorities should implement mandatory waste sorting and cap the waste generated per household, and fine those generating more.

Industry should work on less packaging requirements for consumer products (while maintaining safety) and practice take-back policies or comply with the ‘polluters pay' principle.

Those who practice recycling should be rewarded (as short term policy) whilst aggressive awareness and education activities must be undertaken to ensure that incentives are not the only drivers for responsible and environmentally sustainable waste management amongst commercial and domestic waste generators.

More than RM 1 billion was spent on government aid alone during the Johor disaster in 2006.

This does not include loss of properties and business to the communities affected by the flood.

We do not need mega projects whilst floods take away billions more especially from the people.

We need investment in and maintenance of an effective flood mitigation infrastructure.

We are in no situation to put this off until after general elections.

We need this now!