JOHOR BAHRU – Dua sekolah yang sebelum ini ditutup akibat banjir di negeri ini pada hujung bulan lalu, akan memulakan sesi pembelajaran secara fizikal bermula Isnin.

Exco Pendidikan dan Penerangan negeri, Aznan Tamin berkata, sekolah yang terlibat ialah Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kangkar Tebrau dan SK Maju Jaya di Seelong.

Menurut beliau, selepas banjir surut, pihak berkuasa mendapati kedua-dua sekolah mengalami kerosakan teruk sehingga memaksa guru dan murid menjalani sesi Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran di Rumah (PdPR) selama lebih dua minggu.

“Sekarang banjir sudah pulih di kawasan Johor Bahru, manakala banjir kini berlaku pula di kawasan Segamat.

“Justeru, sekolah-sekolah yang sebelum ini terjejas akan kembali menjalankan pembelajaran secara bersemuka bermula esok,” katanya di Tanjung Surat, Bukit Pelali, di sini pada Ahad.

Pada 21 Mac lalu, tujuh sekolah di Johor Bahru, Kota Tinggi dan Pasir Gudang dilaporkan ditutup akibat terjejas banjir.

Menteri Pendidikan, Fadhlina Sidek berkata, 47 sekolah dijadikan pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) membabitkan daerah Johor Bahru, Kulai, Pontian, Kota Tinggi, Kluang dan Pasir Gudang.

Banjir yang melanda negeri ini pada 19 Mac lalu disifatkan penduduk terjejas sebagai antara yang terburuk pernah berlaku selepas bencana banjir besar pada 2006, 19 tahun lalu.

Bencana itu melibatkan beberapa daerah di Johor termasuk Johor Bahru, Kulai, Pontian, Kluang, Kota Tinggi dan Batu Pahat.

PETALING JAYA – Menteri Besar Selangor mengarahkan Exco Infrastruktur Negeri Selangor, Datuk Ir. Izham Hashim untuk mengatasi semua isu yang menyebabkan proses pembinaan usaha tebatan banjir sama ada di peringkat Tempatan, Negeri ataupun Persekutuan belum dapat disegerakan sepenuhnya.

Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari dalam satu kenyataan berkata, Izham juga akan bertemu dengan penduduk yang terkesan.

Beliau berkata, penyelesaian jangka panjang harus dilaksanakan secepat mungkin melalui kerjasama semua pihak termasuk Kerajaan Persekutuan.

“Saya melihat sendiri kesan banjir kilat akibat kadar hujan yang turun dengan tinggi minggu ini dan memberikan impak terhadap penduduk terutamanya di kawasan seperti Taman Melawis di Klang dan Taman Sri Muda di Shah Alam.

“Pejabat saya turut dihubungi oleh penduduk yang menyatakan keresahan serta kerisauan mereka terhadap situasi yang berulang kerana komponen Rancangan Tebatan Banjir dirasai kurang disegerakan,” katanya di sini, hari ini.

Selain itu katanya, sebagai usaha permulaan, Setiausaha Politiknya, Saifuddin Shafi akan memanggil mesyuarat koordinasi segera melibatkan semua pihak termasuk kedua-dua Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam dan Majlis Bandaraya Diraja Klang serta Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran agar isu ini dapat ditangani segera.

Terdahulu, Kosmo! Online melaporkan, penduduk Taman Sri Muda menggesa Menteri Besar Selangor turun padang dan segera selesaikan masalah banjir yang sering melanda kawasan berkenaan. – KOSMO! ONLINE

SUNGKAI: A bridge linking Sungai Klah Felda to the Sungai Klah Hot Spring Park, known locally as the Sungai Liur Bridge, collapsed at around 10.30pm last night.

It is understood that the bridge was also used daily by Orang Asli residents of Kampung Tisong and palm oil smallholders in the area.

A villager, Azhar Ahmad, 51, said part of the bridge began collapsing following heavy rainfall in the area.

He said the bridge fully gave way last night, cutting off the road connection between Felda Sungai Klah and the popular tourist destination.

"Heavy rainfall from Friday onwards in the area and upstream caused strong river currents, which are believed to have struck and weakened the bridge structure until it gave way.

"The bridge was used by many to get to the hot springs, which are a major tourist attraction in the state.

"The Orang Asli from Kampung Tisong and plantation owners are also affected, as they can no longer transport their crops," he said when met here.

Azhar added that Orang Asli villagers use the bridge daily for their routines, including sending their children to school.

He said the bridge must be repaired urgently, as its collapse has impacted local economic activities, particularly in tourism and agriculture, which provide income for the community.

Another villager, Mustakim Salim, 23, said locals are now forced to use a palm oil plantation road as an alternative route for daily activities.

He said this route is only accessible by motorcycles and four-wheel-drive vehicles, and it is significantly farther than the original road.

"The alternative route can only be used by motorcycles or four-wheel drives, and it's quite a distance from the usual road.

"This is the only route available for residents, but it's dangerous, especially at night," he said.

Meanwhile, Perak Public Works Department director Zamri Mat Kasim clarified that the 20-year-old structure that collapsed was a box culvert, not a bridge as claimed by residents.

"The collapsed road and culvert do not fall under the department's ownership or maintenance. However, the department is prepared to provide assistance and technical advice regarding the damaged culvert," he said when contacted today. 

Earlier, it was reported that hundreds of people were stranded at the Sungai Klah hot spring after the bridge collapse cut off the main access route to the area.

Perak Fire and Rescue Department operations chief Sabarodzie Nor Ahmad said a team from the Bidor station was dispatched to the scene after the department was alerted to the incident at 10.46am today.

He said the incident occurred on the main access road leading to the Sungai Klah hot spring, Kampung Tisong, and the Buyong Mas Sanctuary campsite, disrupting entry and exit for residents and visitors.

The operation to rescue the stranded victims ended at 12.39pm.  

IN JALAN Padungan, the heart of Kuching’s Chinatown lined with historical shophouses, the facade wall on the first floor of a corner lot collapsed in the early morning of April 6.

Firefighters from the Padungan station were dispatched to the scene after a call was received at 6.23am.

Thankfully there were no injuries reported.

Still, it is a cause for concern, not only with regard to safety but also the preservation of heritage buildings.

Such concerns were underscored by preliminary investigations by the Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR).

It deemed the affected unit and two intermediate shoplots to be unsafe.

Kuching South mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng said the incident was a wake-up call.

According to him, the century- old building was “not just a structure of wood and brick” but a part of Kuching’s living heritage.

“Many of the structures within the heart of Kuching are of considerable age, and while they are cherished as part of our cultural legacy, we must ensure they remain safe for those who live, work and walk among them,” he told a press conference following the incident.

Commendably, the authorities have acted promptly to initiate a coordinated response.

Kuching South City Council (MBKS) is working with the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department, JKR, Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) Sarawak branch and other relevant agencies to investigate the cause of the wall failure.

In addition, MBKS will work with technical experts to assess and review the structural safety of other century-old and ­potentially vulnerable buildings in its jurisdiction.

The city council also plans to ­introduce a more robust inspection framework, clearer maintenance guidelines and support, where possible, to building owners in need of assistance to preserve historical structures responsibly.

“If you are the owner or occupant of an old building and notice any signs of deterioration, please report it to the council immediately. Safety must always come first, and it is a shared responsibility,” said Wee.

Kuching North mayor Datuk Hilmy Othman also weighed in on the issue, pledging to collaborate strategically with MBKS to ensure that cultural buildings were well-maintained for generations to come.

“This incident is a reminder of the importance of proactive measures to protect not only our cultural heritage but also the safety and well-being of our people.

“Our city is home to many cultural treasures, including the historic row of shophouses along Gambier Street and Carpenter Street, the iconic Kuching Waterfront, the General Post Office and the Brooke Dockyard.

“These sites are not just physical structures, they are living symbols of our identity, our past and our shared community pride,” he said.

Hilmy said the Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) would conduct safety inspections of historical and aging buildings under its jurisdiction, while strengthening building maintenance regulations and enforcing compliance with safety standards.

The conservation and structural integrity of heritage sites must be prioritised, he added.

Both local authorities have expressed firm views about upholding safety and preserving heritage buildings.

Their stated commitment to regular inspections, better maintenance and enforcement is also timely and commendable.

Hopefully this will not remain mere words in the immediate aftermath of the Jalan Padungan incident, but will be turned into effective, concrete action to improve the safety of historical buildings.

Building owners must also do their part to maintain their properties well in compliance with regulations and proper standards, ensuring that they are structurally sound while respecting their heritage value.

After all, heritage buildings are an integral part of Kuching’s identity and cityscape.

Let’s not allow them to crumble into history due to poor maintenance, which would not only be a loss to the city’s cultural heritage but could also potentially endanger public safety.