Media statement by DAP Member of Parliament for Batu Kawan and Publicity Secretary for Wanita DAP Kasthuri Patto on Monday 26 February 2018 in Batu Kawan, Penang.
Mr Finance Minister, please ensure that the RM1billion announced and approved for 13 flood mitigation projects in all 5 districts in Penang wont remain as lip service, but allocated immediately to Penang which will benefit more than 1.7 million Penangites.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the groundbreaking ceremony of Phase 2 of the Bandar Pekan Flood Mitigation Project (RTB), which is in his own Parliamentary constituency in Pekan, Pahang announced that the government has set aside RM564million which will benefit more than 83 thousand people in Pahang.
He also mentioned that this announcement will quash any speculation that the government is giving ‘dedak’ or known as animal feed before the elections.
The burning question arises now, that announcements can be made by anyone, including the Prime Minister himself who is also the Finance Minister and also the Member of Parliament for Pekan – when will this project and the 13 flood mitigation projects in Penang take off?
In the same vein as this announcement, which is a step in the right direction to improve drainage and mitigate flood with the impending climate change, Penangites are now waiting with bated breath as to when the RM1billion announcement from the Federal Government which was also approved by Putrajaya be chanelled to the state as to date nothing has been allocated yet.
The Jabatan Pengaliran dan Saliran Pulau Pinang (JPS) had applied for 13 flood mitigation projects costing RM1billion which has been approved but flood mitigation works cannot start as the funds have not been released.
Perhaps the Prime Minister needs to be reminded that as Prime Minister for all, including Opposition states like Penang which undeniably contributes to the nations economy, he must immediately release the promised and approved amount of RM1billion to JPS Penang so that flood mitigation works can begin promptly in the best interest of over 1.7million people who reside in Penang.
The breakdown of the cost of these projects are as follows:-
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RTB Seberang Prai Utara (SPU) 65 million
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RTB Lembangan Sungai Prai (SPT) 120 million
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RTB Sungai Junjung (SPT) 60 million
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RTB Parit 4 (SPT) 10 million
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RTB Lembangan Sungai Juru (SPT) 40 million
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RTB Kawasan Perindustrian Prai (SPT) 50 million
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RTB Sungai Kechil (SPS) 12 million
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RTB Lembangan Sungai Jawi (SPS) 40 million
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RTB Lembangan Sungai Pinang (DTL) 504 million
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RTB Teluk Kumbar (DBD) 16 million
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RTB Pondok Upeh / Sungai Burung (DBD) 10 million
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RTB Bayan Lepas (DBD) 65 million
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RTB Teluk Bahang (DBD) 8 million
TOTAL 1 billion
Mr Finance Minister, please ensure that the RM1billion announced and approved for 13 flood mitigation projects in all 5 districts in Penang wont remain as lip service, but allocated immediately to Penang which will benefit more than 1.7 million Penangites.
I wish to urge the Prime Minister to be a leader who walks the talk by displaying leadership, accountability and integrity through example by urgently releasing the promised funds for these projects.
Kasthuri Patto
Member of Parliament for Batu Kawan
Publicity Secretary for Wanita DAP