𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (Unedited original article)

𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘍𝘛, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦!

The impact of climate change in the form of more frequent and more intense rainstorms are becoming more severe. Many vulnerable communities in Malaysia are prone to disastrous floods and landslides. People may recall the incidence of severe floods in Malaysia which took place in recent years, compared to decades ago when floods were rare in the places where recent floods have occurred.

According to the UN Research Report 2021, in addition to the increase in the number of days classified as "heavy rainfall", the maximum annual rainfall intensity has also increased significantly: 17%, 29% and 31% increases in the occurrence of one-hour, three-hour and six-hour rain periods were observed between 2000 and 2007, compared to the periods 30 years ago.

The report also found that some 29,800 square kilometres of land would likely be affected by annual flooding. As many as 5 million people could be at risk. The population likely to be affected by extreme river flooding alone as a result of climate change is estimated at 102,290 people in 12 years' time.

Undoubtedly, it is important for the government to plan and invest in flood mitigation. The previous Ismail Sabri-led government announced that an additional RM15 billion would be allocated from 2023 to 2030, an average expenditure of RM1.9 billion per year.

This increased budget allocation would be used for several projects to strengthen flood mitigation. In the latest revised Budget 2023, the major high expenditure allocations are for: i) Flood Mitigation Plan (RTB) and Urban Drainage (RM1 billion), ii) Dredging of river mouths (RM208 million), iii) Prevention of coastal erosion (RM177 million), iv) Upgrading of Infrastructure and urban drainage, flood mitigation (RM118 million).

However, I argue that the occurrence of floods and the severity of their impacts cannot be attributed solely to increased rainfall and climate change. Flood mitigation can only be effective if the other causes of flooding (besides rain) can be addressed. I urge the government to consider forest protection via gazettement and reforestation as the frontline of flood prevention measures.

What I found in Budget 2023, by comparison, is that only RM150 million is allocated for the current Ecological Fiscal Transfer for Biodiversity Conservation (EFT) programme, which is about 8% of the amount allocated for flood mitigation.

The EFT is a form of intergovernmental fiscal transfer mechanism and redistribution of federal allocations to state governments, based on agreed principles and priorities, with the aim of maintaining or increasing the size and quality of protected forest areas. This programme has been implemented as a federal government policy since 2019.

How does this figure compare to the amount allocated by the federal government for tourism promotion this year? RM250 million. The government also plans to spend RM480 million to build new roads from Habu to Tanah Rata in the Cameron Highlands to ease traffic congestion. This one project is already three times this year's EFT allocation.

The government should demonstrate political intent and commitment by reflecting these measures in future EFT budget allocations. Similar EFT programmes should be considered in the flood mitigation budget, especially for projects located in Flood Hazard Map areas. Additional efforts should focus on stopping the problem at its source, as forests are the best natural water catchment, reducing soil erosion and siltation of our rivers.

My colleague Lim Yi Hui has previously argued why building more sabo dams will not help flood control in the long term, as more silt accumulates at the dam, reducing the effectiveness of a barrier to hold back the runoff water. But why more silt? Because deforestation means more soil could be washed down the river and into the drainage system where trees used to help hold it back.

Deepening riverbeds and building concrete dams or flood barriers are only the reactive measures which pose a more severe environmental impact, particularly environmentally damaging with significant harm to river ecosystems, including the removal of habitats for fish and other aquatic organisms.