Floods main issue in Slim and must be resolved - Umno candidate

SLIM POLLS | Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Mohd Zaidi Aziz said he will make solving floods in the Slim constituency his priority if he is given the mandate by the people in the Slim state assembly by-election on Aug 29.

"Indeed, floods are a major issue here. Wherever I go, the flood issue is the main topic.

"Earlier, I went to Trolak Pekan, that was their main issue. So, the flood issue is my main focus and needs to be resolved immediately," Zaidi (above) told Malaysiakini when met at Felda Trolak Utara, Slim River, last night.

He said this when asked to comment on Sunday's Malaysiakini report that the residents of Trolak Pekan hoped that the floods in the area, which have persisted for many decades, could be resolved in this by-election.

Malaysiakini was also told by the residents of Slim, that apart from Trolak Pekan, Trolak Utara, Kampung Bahru, Kuala Slim, and Changkat Sulaiman are among the areas that are often flooded.

Residents had complained that the Slim river was too shallow and needed to be deepened.

Explaining further, Zaidi said the high rainfall distribution in Slim is one of the causes of floods in this area.

"Slim is the second most humid place in Perak after Larut. When it rains heavily the rainfall is very high.

"After that, a lot of water from the highway goes down to the river, causing the river water to rise quickly and not to mention, it meets Sungai Bernam.

According to him, Sungai Slim meets Sungai Bernam in Tanjung Malim.

"When it rains heavily in Tanjung Malim and Behrang, the river is flooded. So, the water from Sungai Slim spreads out, making many areas in Slim flooded."

However, Zaidi said, the problem had already been identified and brought to the state and central governments.

"When the late Datuk Khusairi became the assembly representative, he informed the issue to the state and federal governments.

"Parties such as DID (Drainage and Irrigation Department) district council (Tanjung Malim District Council) JKR (Public Works Department) came down and saw this problem.

"Problems have been identified and proposed to enlarge and deepen the river between Sungai Slim and Kuala Slim.

"Then, in terms of maintenance such as river cleaning, a water reservoir is needed," he said.

However, Zaidi said the project involved high funds.

"We already know the cause. We are just waiting because it involves various agencies and involves big finances.

"That is why it needs the approval of the federal government," he added.

Slim is under the Tanjung Malim parliamentary constituency which was held by MCA candidates from 1959 until 2018. PKR vice-president Chang Lih Kang (above) broke that stranglehold in 2018.

Last year, Chang raised the matter of flooding in Pekan Trolak in Parliament, citing two floods that occurred on Oct 18 and 19.

On Nov 19, the then-deputy minister of water, land and natural resources, Tengku Zulpuri Shah, acknowledged the seriousness of the problem.

He said that funds would be allocated under the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021-2025) for the Department of Irrigation and Drainage to address this critical issue.

Tengku Zulpuri had said that the funds would cover the Sungai Trolak Flood Mitigation Plan for Kampung Trolak Pekan and the Sungai Klah Flood Mitigation Plan for Kampung Felda Trolak Utara and Kampung Klah Baru.

It is unclear whether these plans will be followed through by the Perikatan Nasional government, which has replaced the Pakatan Harapan administration that Tengku Zulpuri represented.

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