KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — Minister Hannah Yeoh said she is seeking a high-level briefing from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) this week to get a full update on the investigation into the controversial alienation of land at the Batu and Jinjang flood retention ponds.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) said her office is arranging the urgent meeting to understand the outcome of the probe.

The issue gained national attention after it was revealed that the critical water bodies had shrunk by 70 per cent of their original size.

The Segambut MP stated that the briefing will involve all key agencies, including the Federal Territories Department, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), and the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office, New Straits Times reported.

“We have contacted MACC to obtain a full briefing on the outcome of the investigation, and arrangements are being made to hold it this week,” Yeoh said at a press conference today after launching a new sprint track at SJKT Segambut.

The minister previously described the reduction of the ponds as a “foolish decision,” revealing last week that 17 land lots within the zones were transferred to private developers starting from 2015.

While MACC had reportedly found no element of corruption in the transactions, Yeoh indicated she was not satisfied and required a more detailed explanation.

Following the revelation, she ordered an immediate freeze on all development permissions for the remaining lots.

Yeoh has vowed to update the public and media on the matter after the briefing concludes.

Georgetown: Fenomena air pasang besar yang mencecah 2.9 meter menyebabkan banjir kilat di sekitar kawasan Apartment Pelangi di Macallum di sini, hari ini.

Kejadian turut menenggelamkan beberapa kenderaan yang diparkir dalam kawasan premis berkenaan.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Infrastruktur, Pengangkutan dan Digital negeri, Zairil Khir Johari berkata, kejadian antara jam 1 tengah hari hingga 3 petang itu menyaksikan air laut melimpah masuk ke kawasan parkir apartmen dan kawasan sekitarnya.

"Bagaimanapun, tiada hujan direkodkan semasa kejadian dan tiada penduduk terjejas atau dipindahkan.

"Banjir itu dikenal pasti berpunca daripada limpahan air laut ketika fenomena air pasang besar yang mencecah paras 2.9 meter.

"Keadaan masih terkawal dan tidak memerlukan sebarang pemindahan.

"Paras air di kawasan terjejas dianggarkan antara 0.1 hingga 0.3 meter," katanya ketika dihubungi, hari ini.

Zairil berkata, Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS) daerah Timur Laut sudah mengenal pasti beberapa langkah segera termasuk penyelenggaraan di saluran keluar S16 bagi mengurangkan risiko kejadian berulang.

Beliau berkata, kerajaan negeri turut mencadangkan beberapa langkah mitigasi jangka panjang termasuk menaik taraf struktur saluran keluar S16, meninggikan aras kawasan parkir apartmen serta menambah baik sistem saliran dalaman di kawasan berkenaan.

"Langkah ini penting bagi memperkukuhkan daya tahan kawasan pesisir pantai terhadap fenomena air pasang besar yang dijangka berlaku lebih kerap akibat perubahan iklim dan kenaikan paras laut," katanya.

Terdahulu, beberapa gambar kejadian banjir itu tular di media sosial yang memaparkan banyak kenderaan separa tenggelam di kawasan parkir sebuah kompleks apartmen di Macallum.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — Kuala Lumpur is accelerating efforts to strengthen its flood resilience as annual rainfall levels increasingly exceed the design capacity of older flood mitigation infrastructure.

According to The Star in an exclusive interview, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said the city is shifting towards a “sponge city” approach alongside expanded on-site detention (OSD) systems, while also exploring incentives for developers to integrate more green spaces into redevelopment projects.

She said the incentive framework is still being developed, adding that proposals include allowing higher plot ratios for developments that contribute substantial public green areas, such as large parks.

Yeoh also said the government is looking at publishing Green Area Records online and forming a special task force under the Federal Territories Department to gazette more open and green spaces, describing such measures as key long-term safeguards.

As of mid-April 2026, 45 additional green and open spaces have been gazetted, bringing the total number of protected areas to 539.

On flood mitigation infrastructure, she said authorities are expanding the use of OSD ponds, including underground systems such as those implemented at Perdana Botanical Garden and Padang Merbok.

She added that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is identifying new OSD locations, including in Kampung Bukit Lanjan following a recent landslide, as well as near the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, stressing the importance of protecting key heritage areas from flood risk.

Yeoh said the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) and DBKL are continuously identifying new sites under the Environmentally Friendly Drainage Master Plan (Pisma), noting that OSD systems differ from retention ponds as they are designed to temporarily hold and release stormwater rather than retain it permanently.

Based on DID data, historical annual rainfall previously ranged between 2,500mm and 2,900mm, but has exceeded 3,000mm annually in recent years from 2019 to 2024.

She said this upward trend requires Kuala Lumpur to upgrade infrastructure standards, as systems designed for historical rainfall levels are now under strain. A review is also underway to update the city’s Average Recurrence Interval (ARI) standards.

Flood preparedness efforts, she added, also include improving last-mile warning systems to deliver direct alerts to residents in low-lying areas, as well as strengthening coordination with Residents Representative Councils on emergency response.

On development controls, Yeoh said DBKL will not approve planning permission for projects on retention pond land until specific technical conditions set by DID are met, including at the Jinjang and Batu retention pond areas where portions of land have been alienated over the years.

She said approval processes now require developers to ensure OSD systems can fully manage runoff from their sites without overloading downstream drainage infrastructure, with oversight supported through the DBKL One-Stop Centre portal and further review by a special task force for high-risk cases.

Yeoh also highlighted slope management improvements following recent mudflood incidents linked to hillside works, noting that stricter enforcement of erosion and sediment control measures has been introduced, including more frequent on-site monitoring at high-risk locations.

She said phased earthworks are now required on sloped sites, alongside buffer zones and tighter controls on large-scale land clearing.

KL mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud previously said settlement markers would be installed at more than 1,100 slope areas across the capital.

For flood mitigation, DBKL has allocated RM84.6 million this year, with Yeoh noting that beyond infrastructure investment, maintenance remains a key gap.

She said RM5 million has been allocated for upgrading and maintaining flood retention ponds under a strategic cooperation between the Federal Territories Department and the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

Yeoh added that long-term works, including underground storage systems and upgrades to retention ponds, are being expedited over the next 12 to 24 months, alongside increased desilting works at identified flood hotspots.

She said enforcement mechanisms have also been strengthened, including potential blacklisting of contractors who fail to meet safety standards, as well as collaboration with the Malaysia Competition Commission to curb tender cartels.

According to her, stop-work orders have proven to be among the most effective penalties for non-compliance, particularly in cases involving environmental risks on construction sites.

TAIPING – Kerajaan terus memperketat pemantauan pelaksanaan projek pembangunan negara dengan sasaran utama mencapai sifar projek sakit selain memastikan projek disiapkan lebih awal daripada jadual dan tahap keselamatan di tapak pembinaan dipertingkatkan.

Timbalan Menteri Kerja Raya, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Maslan berkata, pemantauan rapi dan berterusan itu dilaksanakan bagi memastikan semua projek infra rakyat di bawah seliaan Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) berjalan lancar selaras dengan hala tuju Kementerian Kerja Raya (KKR).

“Bagi 2026 sehingga 28 April lalu, sebanyak 2,497 projek fizikal pembinaan dengan kos keseluruhan RM133.897 bilion telah diamanahkan kepada JKR sebagai agensi teknikal utama negara.

“Daripada jumlah itu, 1,181 projek atau 47 peratus berada pada peringkat pra-pembinaan, manakala 851 projek atau 34 peratus sedang dalam fasa pembinaan, selebihnya melibatkan kerja awalan serta projek siap termasuk dalam tempoh tanggungan kecacatan (DLP),” katanya

Beliau berkata demikian selepas mengadakan lawatan kerja di Bangunan Stor Farmasi Logistik dan Farmasi Steril di Hospital Taiping di sini hari ini.

Beliau berkata, sebanyak 4,405 kerja penyenggaraan, pemulihan, ubah suai dan naik taraf (PPUN) bernilai RM6.123 bilion turut sedang dilaksanakan di seluruh negara.

Ahmad berkata, setakat ini JKR telah berjaya menyiapkan 60 projek fizikal dengan nilai RM2.436 bilion melibatkan projek di bawah Rancangan Malaysia ke-9 hingga ke-12.

Mengulas projek dalam fasa pembinaan, beliau memaklumkan sebanyak 828 projek di bawah seliaan JKR Malaysia dan 23 projek sekolah daif di Sabah dan Sarawak sedang dipantau rapi oleh agensi teknikal berkenaan.

Daripada jumlah itu, 454 projek atau 53.35 peratus dilaporkan berjalan lancar, dengan 241 projek (28.32 peratus) berada di hadapan jadual (ahead of time) dan 213 projek (25.03 peratus) mengikut jadual.

Bagaimanapun, beliau tidak menafikan masih terdapat cabaran yang menjejaskan kelancaran pelaksanaan projek, khususnya melibatkan kontraktor yang menyumbang sebanyak 84 peratus faktor kelewatan, termasuk masalah pengurusan, aliran kewangan serta kekurangan tenaga kerja dan bahan binaan.

“Sebanyak 16 peratus lagi berpunca daripada isu pengambilan tanah, pampasan, kelulusan, pengalihan utiliti serta faktor cuaca dan bencana,” katanya.

Dalam perkembangan sama, beliau berkata, trend projek sakit menunjukkan penurunan daripada 6.81 peratus pada Jun 2025 kepada 5.17 peratus setakat ini hasil pemantauan berterusan serta intervensi awal oleh JKR dan KKR.

“Beberapa langkah strategik telah dan akan terus dilaksanakan termasuk penggunaan teknologi Building Information Modelling (BIM), sistem modular dan kaedah pratuang (pre-cast) dalam projek kerajaan.

“Mekanisme amaran awal turut diperkenalkan bagi mengesan lebih awal projek bermasalah sebelum ia bertukar menjadi projek sakit, selain tindakan menyenarai hitam kontraktor bermasalah daripada pelantikan semula,” katanya.

“KKR melalui JKR komited untuk memperbaiki perancangan, pelaksanaan dan pemantauan secara berterusan demi memastikan projek infra rakyat disiapkan dengan lebih cepat, selamat dan berkesan,” katanya.

Tegasnya, kejayaan pelaksanaan projek kerajaan memerlukan kerjasama erat antara semua pihak termasuk pegawai penguasa projek, perunding, kontraktor serta agensi berkaitan bagi memastikan penyampaian infra rakyat lebih cekap dan teratur selaras dengan aspirasi Malaysia Madani. – KOSMO! ONLINE