Tuan Ibrahim proposes setting up a 'Dam Safety Department'
KUALA LUMPUR - The government needs to establish a 'Dam Safety Department' to monitor the safety levels of all dams across the country, which are currently in critical condition.
Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian) stated that this department's role is crucial, especially considering that some dams are over 100 years old.
"Our country doesn't have a department dedicated to dam maintenance; we only have one squad under the Water Department at the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry (NRE) level.
"Our dams are critical. Imagine if something were to happen to our dams; the risk of fatalities and catastrophic disasters is beyond imagination.
"For example, at the Klang Gate Dam (in Ulu Klang, Gombak), if a disaster were to occur, how many thousands of victims would be affected? How much property worth millions would be destroyed? Consequently, I suggest the establishment of a Dam Safety Department," he said during the debate on the motion for the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK12) in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday.
He, who is also a former Environment and Water Minister, emphasised that it is time for the establishment of such a department to be expedited. He added that at the same time, the government needs to accelerate the establishment of a Climate Housing Department under the Department of Environment (DOE) to address the increasingly serious issue of climate change.
"In November 2021, the Chereh Dam (Pahang) burst. This dam supplies water to the city of Kuantan. Fortunately, it didn't burst at the surface.
"On Jan 7, I went down with a team and found that it had burst at the side, causing the water to flow into oil palm plantations, not residential areas. However, as of today, the Chereh Dam has still not been repaired," he said.
Regarding the issue of water supply, he urged the Federal Government to hold discussions with the state governments to allocate funding and recommended that the process of addressing non-revenue water (NRW) be taken over by the government to resolve the issue.
"Water is no longer just a basic need for drinking; it's a matter of national security. With the climate crisis happening, water supply will be a significant problem in the future.
"We need to ensure that the Federal Government allocates an annual budget of RM3 billion to RM4 billion to all state water operators for the process of replacing old pipes that have exceeded their lifespan, which are over 40 years old, and changing tanks," he said.
