KUALA LUMPUR: Clogged drains coupled with excessive rainfall from heavy downpour within a short time contributed to several episodes of flash floods reported nationwide recently.
Frequently, the Environment and Water Ministry found that drainage systems being overwhelmed and clogged with solid wastes and various large objects such as furniture, electrical appliances, plastic bottles, bicycles and toys.
Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Ir Dr Zaini Ujang said such waste in the drainage system slowed down or in the worst-case scenario, prevented water from rainfall flowing immediately into the nearest river.
"Therefore, all parties must immediately work together to improve the country's waste management system to ensure municipal solid waste from entering drains or tributaries.
"The people together with non-governmental organisation should also assume the role in order to increase awareness and public commitment towards ensuring their residential areas are always clean and that the drainage system is not clogged.
"It must be understood that maintenance on the drainage system is being carried out by the respective government or drainage and irrigation department on a scheduled basis and not daily ," he said.
Zaini said this in a social media posting explaining on the cause of the recent flash floods and efforts needed to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
The drainage system in the country, he said, comes under the supervision of several parties: the Drainage and Irrigation Department, the Public Works Department, property developers and owners of premises outside planned housing areas.
He also highlighted the importance of upgrading and improving drainage system regularly.
"In the beginning, a drainage system is usually put in place to sustain for a certain period. Rapid development, however, makes it necessary for drainage system to be upgraded frequently," he said.
Zaini also stressed on the need to implement a programme that can mitigate and adapt with the extreme changes at all districts and regions in the country.
This was because the occurrence of flash floods was also related to environmental and climate change.
"This is where it is imperative to understand the effect of the climate change, which is always been debated, especially through the Paris Agreement 2015.
"Among the plan (that can adapt for climate change) is to have an environment-friendly drainage system, increasing water retention basin areas (involving permanent and urban forest reserves) which also acts in absorbing greenhouse gas emission," he said.
He also called on the participation from all parties to take part in the National River Trail Programme, which is targeted to create 10,000km of river trails by the year 2030.
"All parties should take part to ensure that the drainage system is clean, which will subsequently reduce the risk of flooding," he said.