PARLIAMENT | The deal with the Netherlands to improve Malaysia’s flood mitigation system is now on the rocks following Dutch politician Geert Wilders’ election win, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Wilders is a veteran Dutch anti-Islam politician and the leader of the Netherlands’ far-right Party for Freedom (PVV).

Anwar said the political development in the Netherlands is not very encouraging and he was unsure if the country’s plan to seek Dutch expert assistance in an effort to overcome annual floods will pan out.

“I don’t know if it’s fortunate or unfortunate... The (new Dutch) government and the winning group are extreme right-wing and very anti-Islam and minorities in the Netherlands.

“I don’t know if this (plan to send experts to help in flood mitigation) will continue. (Former Dutch prime minister) Mark Rutte has stepped down.

“I will contact the new prime minister to see if he is still committed to continuing the cooperation programme between Malaysia and the Netherlands on this matter,” he said during Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a supplementary question by Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar) on the government's plan for tackling floods.

Paya Besar MP Mohd Shahar Abdullah

On Nov 1, Anwar reportedly said that the help from Dutch experts will also help reduce flood management expenditure.

At that time, he said that Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir would follow up on the cooperation, including expediting the arrival process of the Dutch expert team.

Meanwhile, according to Reuters, Wilders is facing a setback in a bid to look into viable governing coalitions after his party won the most seats in the recently concluded general election.

However, with just 24 percent of the vote, the PVV needs to gain support from at least two more moderate parties to form a government.

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