RANTAU PANJANG: The federal government will give priority to build flood mitigation project in Kota Baharu and Rantau Panjang, the two areas often hit by floods in Kelantan, State Action Council chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
WORST HIT: A man wades through a flood-hit area in Rantau Panjang. — Bernama photo
He said, proper planning had to be carried out because implementation of the project would involved high cost, adding that if implemented, it would be carried out at Sungai Kelantan in Kota Baharu and Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang.
“The project cost about RM2 billion five years ago and if the government wants to build it, it will possibly not be done simultaneously.
“It (project) is also included in the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP), but the proposed cost is not as high,” he told reporters after visiting flood victims at a relief centre at the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) station here yesterday.
A total of 409 flood victims had been evacuated here since yesterday morning and they were now staying at three relief centres in the district.
Mustapa, who is International Trade and Industry Minister, said he was satisfied with actions taken by federal and state government agencies to help the flood victims.
Meanwhile, State Security Council secretary, Roslee Mamat, said Tumpat would be the next district to be hit by the floods in Kelantan now that the water in Sungai Golok had exceeded the danger level and over-flowed its banks.
He said preparations had been made in the eventuality of Tumpat being hit by the flood. — Bernama