The massive floods of Sept 15 may have receded but Penang government leaders continue to be inundated with criticism over their poor management of the crisis due to the heaviest rainfall in the state.

Penang Federal Action Council chairperson Zainal Abidin Osman said it was "very shameful" that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and state executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow appear to be clueless about the state's RM2 billion flood mitigation projects funded by the federal government.

"These projects are well known to the state Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), a federal agency in Penang," Zainal Abidin, who is also the state Umno chief, said in a statement.

"Without such funds, the flood situation in Penang would definitely be worse, especially in areas where flood mitigation projects have been implemented," he added.

"Non-Penangites like the chief minister would not understand or know about these things, so I suggest that he and his exco check the matter again with the state DID before hurling unsubstantiated claims at us," Zainal Abidin said.

Where is the RM1.1 billion promised?

He was responding to queries over his claim that RM2 billion for flood mitigation from the federal government was already disbursed to the Penang government.

However, Chow ( right, in photo), who is the Penang executive councillor in charge of flood mitigation, urged Zainal Abidin to show proof of his claims, saying Putrajaya has yet to make good the RM1.1 billion promised to the state.

On Sept 20, Lim queried Zainal Abidin over the same claim, urging Putrajaya to hasten the RM1.4 billion allocated for Penang, but Zainal Abidin described the chief minister's response as "malicious, with the intention to confuse the people and create suspicions towards the federal government".

Zainal Abidin insisted that his statement on the RM2 billion allocated for flood mitigation in the state was true and not false or a slander.

His claim was backed by Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who said the federal government has spent RM2.58 billion on flood mitigation projects in the state since 2006.

"Lim's allegation that RM1.4 billion, and Chow's RM1.1 billion, have not been settled by the federal government are lies, and they are not very smart by making such claims," Zainal Abidin said.

He added: "It shows that the chief minister and his exco members do not know what is actually happening in their state.

"I wish to inform the chief minister that the allocation was not swept away by the flood waters, as the only things which were washed away are the CM's false promises."

Zainal Abidin then detailed several projects related to flood mitigation for Penang under the 9th, 10th and 11th Malaysia Plans.

From 2006 to 2010 (9th MP), a total of 10 projects were completed with an allocation of RM1,483,500,000.00, he said.

These included the flood mitigation plans in Bertam, George Town, Sungai Junjung and Sungai Perai.

From 2011 to 2015 (under the 10th MP), 11 projects costing RM404,550,000 were implemented and they included flood mitigation plans in Bertam, Tasek Gelugor and Sungai Kerian, where work was still going on and is expected to be completed at the end of this year, he added.

"As for 2016 to 2020 (under 11th MP), the federal government has approved RM150 million for flood mitigation projects in Sungai Pinang," claimed Zainal Abidin, the former Nibong Tebal MP.

"The contractor has been appointed to start work at the end of the year," he added.