The Sultan of Johor, Ibrahim Ismail Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj, has expressed disappointment with the people in the community who have been disposing of their rubbish in drains and rivers.
This has caused flooding in the city of Johor Bahru during the rainy season.
In a post on the Sultan of Johor’s official Facebook page, he said the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) conducted an investigation on the floods that hit the city last month and discovered that the floods were caused by a clogged drainage system due to rubbish and construction waste.
The report and photographs of MBJB’s investigation were presented to the Sultan of Johor by the Mayor of MBJB, Dato ‘Noorazam Osman at the Mados Office, Istana Bukit Pelangi, Johor Bahru recently.
“It is due to the attitude of some people who like to throw garbage into rivers, ditches and drains. When it rains heavily and for a long time, flash floods are definitely inevitable,” the Sultan of Johor told the Royal Press Office (RPO).
“I have seen pictures and video recordings provided by the Mayor of MBJB. A lot of rubbish is thrown away including mattresses, wood and even refrigerators. Very disappointing.”
“The community should be more responsible by not throwing garbage in drains or rivers. Acts like this will eventually contribute to the floods.”
Earlier, the Sultan of Johor gave an order to the Johor Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS) and local authorities to conduct surveys in all areas where flash floods occur frequently in Johor.
Meanwhile, the MBJB Mayor, Dato ‘Noorazam told the RPO that his party has carried out cleaning work at the affected locations by clearing the obstructions in ditches, drains and the main drainage.
“MBJB allocates RM6 million for river and drain maintenance every year. The attitude of a handful of our people is deeply regretted,” he said.
“I have also visited flood hotspot locations to formulate comprehensive solutions involving immediate, medium and long-term solutions to overcome the flood problem.”
Improper disposal of rubbish can cause long-term issues like flooding when heavy rains occur, so please be responsible and discard rubbish in a proper manner at allocated waste bins.
Also read: Watch: Flash Floods In The Klang Valley & Several Other States After Heavy Rain On 20 October
