The Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalulail today called on the federal government to expedite flood mitigation projects in Perlis.     

He said among the projects that needed urgent attention was Phase Two of the Timah Tasoh Dam to improve reservoir management and address flood risks, which is estimated to cost RM500 million.      

"We in Perlis hope under the Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP), an allocation can be provided for this. The first phase has done a good job in raising the original dam's level by 3.4 metres. Now we need the second phase so that more water can be stored.      

"We also hope the Economic Planning Unit and Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) will seriously consider this request. We cannot be waiting for floodwaters to reach our roofs before action is taken and more so with a second wave of foods anticipated in Perlis," he said when receiving aid contributions for Perlis flood victims on behalf of  Yayasan Tuanku Syed Putra in Petaling Jaya today.     

Also present were Perlis state secretary Azizan Hamid and  Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) vice chancellor Kamarudin Hussin.    

Tuanku Syed Faizuddin  said flood mitigation projects were also needed in Arau, Padang Besar, Kangar, and Kuala Perlis.     

"Yes flood disasters are acts of God but we must take steps that can help alleviate this type of disaster," he said.     

He also urged local authorities in the state, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, DID and the Public Works Department to further improve their delivery system to ensure the state does not become paralysed in future flood disasters.      

He added that a post-mortem needed to be done on the flood disaster that hit the state this month and also called on the federal government to liase with its Thai counterparts in the event of floods in southern Thailand so that coordinated countermeasures could be taken in tackling flood disasters in the northern states of Malaysia.      

At the function, the foundation received aid totalling RM409,000 in the form of cash and aid items, including RM50,000 from Bank Rakyat and RM30,000 for buying school uniforms from CIMB Foundation while MIDF Property Berhad contributed business tithe of RM100,000 to the Perlis Islamic Religious Council to be channelled to flood victims.      

The floods that hit Perlis this time around (over the past two weeks) was one of the worst flood disasters in the state.        

- Bernama