PENANG is confident of reducing flash floods once 10 flood mitigation projects, costing a total of RM300mil, are completed.

State Local Government, Transport Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said at least four of the projects under the state’s RM150mil allocation would start next June.

Speaking on the Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project which has received an allocation of RM150mil from the Federal Government, he said it would take nine months for studies to be completed before work could commence.

“The state’s other projects will be carried out in two or three years.

“The consultancy work for four of the projects has started.

“The others need about six months for work on the designs to be completed and three months to call for open tender.

“At present, there are 45 flash flood hotspots in the state.

“With the implementation of these projects, I believe the number will be reduced over the next three years,” he said at Komtar on Tuesday during the Penang Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) service awards ceremony.

Chow said two committees — a technical committee headed by the state DID director Sabri Abdul Mulok and the steering committee headed by him — had been set up to oversee the entire flood mitigation operation.

“I believe that not only will more hotspots be resolved in a few years but also the impact of flash floods will not be as serious as before,” said Chow.

Sabri said the Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project was expected to be called for open tender around September, followed by the commencement of the construction in the first quarter of 2018 for a period of two and a half years.

“The plan for 2017 is to appoint the consultants and carry out the detailed design work and soil mitigation.

“We will call for tender in the last quarter of 2017,” he said.

During the ceremony, 240 recipients received the 2015 outstanding service awards.\

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