The Penang government has refuted Putrajaya’s claim that RM2.6 billion was spent on flood mitigation projects in the state.

This claim was also issued by Umno in the wake of the greatest flood in Penang on Sept 15, where the state suffered “a month’s rainfall - or 270mm of rainfall - in one day”.

State executive councillor in charge of flood mitigation, Chow Kon Yeow, said facts showed that only RM1.79 billion was originally allocated for flood mitigation projects in the state since 2006, and not RM2.6 billion.

Displaying a chart produced by the state Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), Chow said the total sum allocated had later been amended to RM461 million.

“We can see from this chart that only RM443 million was eventually spent to implement the projects from 2006 to this day,” Chow said at a press conference in Komtar today.

He was refuting Penang Federal Action Council chairperson Zainal Abidin Osman (photo), who insisted that RM2 billion was already spent to mitigate floods in the state.

Zainal Abidin, who is Penang Umno chief, said it was very shameful that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Chow were clueless about the matter.

Chow also refuted the statement of Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who said RM2.6 billion had been allocated for the floods projects in Penang.

Only RM443 million spent for floods

The chart presented by Chow today showed that for the period 2006 to 2010 (9th Malaysia Plan), RM1.4 billion was allocated, but only RM306 million was only spent on the projects.

From 2011 to 2015 (10th MP), RM193 million was allocated, but only RM125 million was spent on the projects.

From 2016 to 2020 (11th MP), RM205 million was allocated for the projects but only RM12 was eventually spent, bringing the total amount of funds actually used to only RM443 million.

“Zainal Abidin is trying to hide the facts and accuse us of confusing the people, which we did not,” Chow said.

He recalled that he had clarified the matter in the previous sitting of the state legislative assembly.

Umno assemblypersons, including state opposition leader Jahara Hamid, were “understanding” about the matter, and they said it was better for the state and federal governments to work together to resolve the flood crisis, he added.

“If RM2.6 billion were truly spent on flood mitigation efforts, many areas would have been saved from the flash floods.

“We are not interested in fighting with the federal government or ministers but are just pointing out the facts to them. We hope Putrajaya will release the remaining funds as budgeted so that we can work on it as soon as possible,” Chow said.

77 flood hotspots identified

Chow also said that of the 77 hotspots identified by the state DID that are prone to flash floods, 28 have been mitigated satisfactorily.

Another 15 more projects were in the pipeline and would be implemented at the end of the year and next year, and the remaining 34 projects would also be carried out to the address the state’s flood woes.

“The 77 hotspots did not appear only when we took over the administration of Penang in 2008. They are decades old, and the state DID has been appealing for funds to deal with the problem since then,” Chow noted.

“We need a political view to implement the remaining projects, or else investors, tourists and locals will lose their livelihoods.”