Temporary relief centres, like this one set up at a school when floods hit parts of Hulu Langat in December 2021, are used to house displaced residents affected by natural disasters. — Filepic
WITH Kajang town having been previously hit hard by floods due to continuous heavy rainfall, the local authority is taking no chances for the upcoming monsoon.
Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) president Nazli Md Taib said 31 community halls were prepared to serve as temporary relief centres (PPS) in case of natural disasters.
“Every zone under the council’s jurisdiction will have a hall to be used as a PPS.”
He said MPKj’s 22-member Pantas squad was prepared to be deployed for any emergencies.
“However, in the event of a natural disaster, the number of staff involved would be larger, totalling 150 people to assist with disaster relief efforts,” Nazli said after the local council’s full board meeting yesterday.
Several identified flood hotspots include Kampung Muhibah, Taman Muhibbah, Kampung Sri Jambu, Taman Sri Nanding, and areas in Batu 20 as well as Batu 21.
“These are the hotspot areas where we always place warning signs for residents to be prepared in case of any unexpected events,” he said.
Kajang town centre had been hit by flash flooding in May this year and also during the monsoon season last November, with several hundred people forced to seek shelter at PPS.
On another matter, Nazli said 17 lorries were seized and vehicle owners issued compounds under the Waste Collection, Removal and Disposal Bylaw (MPKJ) 2007 for polluting the environment in August.
The compounds amounted to RM93,500.
“Confiscated lorries will be detained for a month without the possibility of release or appeals.
“We will not consider reducing the fine or releasing lorries early, as we want to impose stricter penalties on offenders.
“Illegal dumping is a major issue for both the community and the environment, and we incur significant costs to restore the affected land.
“If possible, we want to prevent this from happening, which is why the penalties are maximised with no reductions,” said Nazli.
He said that in large-scale operations, the number of violations detected would be significant, especially regarding illegal dumping.
“However, making arrests requires a more detailed plan, as these illegal dumping sites are guarded by a handful of people.”
