To protect M’sians from floods, here’s what Budget 2023 will do for mitigation & relief

We all know how badly the floods impacted parts of Malaysia last year, resulting in tragedies and losses amounting to billions of Ringgit.

The public actively pitched in to help with search and rescue as well as with welfare efforts that the previous year’s budget had not prepared for.

This year, Budget 2023 is more prepared, and here are the initiatives that will be relevant when it comes to preparing Malaysia better for flash floods and other water-related natural disasters.

The government will implement a flood mitigation plan until 2030 as a long-term strategy to adapt to climate change throughout the country with a total value of RM15 billion. 

For the year 2023, most of the projects will be awarded a budget expenditure of RM700 million. Among the main projects that will be carried out include:

1. The implementation of the Sabo Dam project worth RM500 million in 46 locations across the country to reduce the risk of debris floods and mud floods, which were the cause of the tragic floods in Baling, Kedah.
2. The construction of a dual-function reservoir pool worth approximately RM2 billion involving the alignment along the river Klang and Sungai Rasau, Selangor as a two-pronged strategy to overcome the problem of flooding and as a source of raw water supply storage.
3. The additional phase project of Lembangan Sungai Bersepadu in Sungai Golok, Kelantan worth RM500 million.
4. Upgrading the weather forecast system to advance flood forecast and warning at the national level.

For the next year, the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) will be allocated a total of RM174 million. 

As a preparatory step, the Ministry of Finance will continue to channel an additional RM400 million to NADMA for it to be ready to help immediately if there is a flood at the end of this year.

The government has also prepared an initial allocation amounting to RM100 million under the National Disaster Relief Fund, and the Ministry of Finance is ready to increase its allocation as needed.

As a preparatory step for the Malaysian Armed Forces in case of any disaster, two additional field hospitals involving a cost of RM47 million will be completed by the end of this year in Kluang, Johor, and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. 

In addition, as many as 50 units of ambulances will be stationed at military camps, ready for deployment to help in the event of a disaster.

The government will also be providing RM20 million under the Geran Pertubuhan Prihatin Komuniti for the benefit of 2,000 resident associations to implement volunteer activities. 

Among them include participating in a firefighting course to prepare yourself in case of any disaster such as floods and fires at the community level.

• Read more about Budget 2023 here.
• Read about our lessons learnt when helping with flood cleanup here.

Featured Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons