Shree Muniswarar Temple Association volunteers cleaning away the mud from the flash flood in Johor.
PASIR Gudang City Council (MBPG) is urged to clear blocked drainage outlets at the upstream section of Sungai Rinting near the Pasir Gudang Highway.
Due to the blocked outlets, there is a tendency for flooding to occur.
Shree Muniswarar Temple Association chairman M. Eswaran said the flash flood on Sept 30 was the first in two years.
He claimed that the flood- ing was due to poor river maintenance.
“The drainage outlet is often clogged by rubbish, grass, dead branches and weed.
“Pasir Gudang Highway is a vital road connecting the city with Johor Baru. Many vehicles were stranded due to the flash flood,” he said when contacted.
Eswaran said the temple was also affected, with the prayer area submerged in knee-deep water.
“The incident happened at 4pm, and we cleaned everything by 11pm that day,” he said.
“The surrounding drains are narrow.
“I was informed by MBPG officers that there were plans to widen the drains as part of the Pasir Gudang Highway expansion project,” he added.
Meanwhile, MBPG councillor Madyasir Ahmad Basir said the city council launched “Ops Longkang” last month to clean up drains in Pasir Gudang.
“The drainage system is old and unable to handle excess water effectively.
“At the moment, we have to wait for the expansion project to be completed, as the drainage upgrades are part of that development project,” he said.
He added that the Drainage and Irrigation Department had cleaned Sungai Rinting in 2021, and SWM Environment Sdn Bhd was assigned to ensure there were no blockages.
“Our current focus is on preventing blockages because even temporary floods can cause serious damage, so finding a long-term solution is essential,” said Madyasir.
