In view of the flash floods that occurred yesterday afternoon in Kuala Lumpur, Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil has urged federal territories minister Shahidan Kassim to mobilize resources to clean up all clogged drains in the city.
He also advocated for the creation of a flood warning system with the cooperation of telecommunications firms to alert occupants of floods in their area.
Fahmi also said that yesterday's floods was the third in Kuala Lumpur since December. He claimed that many of the issues stemmed from the clearing and upkeep of drains, and that there was a lot of trash in certain flooded areas after the floods had retreated.
“Flood ponds must be well maintained. Also, I noticed a lot of topsoil runoff, which may indicate water coming from construction sites,”
According to Fahmi, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) must assess both the maintenance of siltation systems in these sites as well as ensuring that construction companies assist with clean-up and compensation for victims in the event of flash floods.
He also stated that there was no flood warning and that he learned about the disaster through social media.
He added that Pandan MP Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had also called to tell that one of her relatives' homes had been flooded.
Bukit Bintang MP, Fong Kui Lun said it was past time for DBKL to look at the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2040, which should include upgrades to the city's drains, as the drainage system has been in place for 30 to 40 years.
DBKL reported yesterday on Twitter that floodwaters have submerged many highways, including Jalan Pudu, Jalan Kuching, and Jalan Ampang.
DBKL also validated flooding complaints at Jalan Travers, Jalan Sultan Abdul Halim, Jalan Kuching, Jalan Semantan, Pintasan Segambut, Jalan Segambut, Jalan Kinabalu, Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah, Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar, Bulatan Dato Onn, and Jalan Melaka in a statement.
The traffic situation around Kuala Lumpur was also congested, according to DBKL, because the flash floods happened during peak hours.
It said DBKL traffic officers were deployed to immediately assist by ensuring the smooth flow of traffic in congested areas. On 7 and 8 March, several areas in Kuala Lumpur were also badly affected by flash floods following a heavy downpour.